No SS number yet

[Tim and Erin 3]

After I married, I applied for a number at our local SS Administration office. They told me that my name was still my maiden name in their system, although my Work Authorization and Permanent Resident cards are both in my married name. They said it's just a matter of it "catching up in the system." I was told to expect SS number in the mail in 2-4 weeks. It's going on the fifth week now and I still haven't received it.

I was hired for a job a couple weeks ago, and actually went in for my very first shift. When the manager was filling out some paperwork for me and discovered I was still waiting for my SS number, I was told they couldn't even clock me in that day without the number (something about me not being covered by their insurance), therefore I couldn't work. The manager was pleasant and tried to be helpful by telling me to go to SS office and ask for a temporary card, but when I did I was told a number hadn't even been issued yet, therefore, no card.

Thankfully the job is still on hold for me until I get my SS number. My question is, can this employer can refuse to let me start work, even though they've seen my cards and have my A number, and a copy of the letter from the SS office stating that I have applied? By the way, it was the employee at the SS office that told me to SHOW that letter to any potential employer, but with this employer it didn't seem to work. Is there anything else I can try?

It's too late to give the SS office a call right now, but I'll do it tomorrow and see if there's any news.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Yes, the employer can refuse to let you work without a SS number. Go back to the SS office and try again. Bring a copy of your marriage certificate. The employer is doing what they should do actually, by not letting people who do not have proper documentation work.

[Hank55 5]

Definately go back, it took us 3 trips to get one smart capable ss person.

[Tim and Erin 3]

Definately go back, it took us 3 trips to get one smart capable ss person.

That's what I was thinking. One person might not know what another one knows. After all, it was the first SS office employee that gave me the "proof" letter to show to an employer, and the second employee couldn't tell me a thing.

[JeannieL 44]

I finally got my SS number 9 weeks after I applied. I went to the office 3 times, ....The last time I went we sat down in the back office with someone and they went looking for our file. He found it under a pile of others. He showed it to the woman who had originally did our application. We heard her say "Oh no!" A few minutes later she came out and explained that it was in the last stage and that it doesn't take long after that, then she said that she would send them something but didn't say what. She didn't know that we heard her. 4 days later I received a letter in the mail that my SS card would arrive in about 2 weeks and that if I wanted the number before I could stop in the local office to get it. Go check on it at the office or write the http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/ask I got an answer from them the same day.

[SF2007 48]

I concur with JeannieL. I had a name mismatch issue with my SS application and after going in twice I was told it would take up to 3 months to clear it. Needless to say I was upset and couldn't believe it would take that long to type my name again in their system...

I wrote an email at http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/ask and a supervisor handle and cleared my request in less than 1 week. I just got my SS number this morning

[VanessaTony 3,567]

After I married, I applied for a number at our local SS Administration office. They told me that my name was still my maiden name in their system, although my Work Authorization and Permanent Resident cards are both in my married name. They said it's just a matter of it "catching up in the system." I was told to expect SS number in the mail in 2-4 weeks. It's going on the fifth week now and I still haven't received it.

I was hired for a job a couple weeks ago, and actually went in for my very first shift. When the manager was filling out some paperwork for me and discovered I was still waiting for my SS number, I was told they couldn't even clock me in that day without the number (something about me not being covered by their insurance), therefore I couldn't work. The manager was pleasant and tried to be helpful by telling me to go to SS office and ask for a temporary card, but when I did I was told a number hadn't even been issued yet, therefore, no card.

Thankfully the job is still on hold for me until I get my SS number. My question is, can this employer can refuse to let me start work, even though they've seen my cards and have my A number, and a copy of the letter from the SS office stating that I have applied? By the way, it was the employee at the SS office that told me to SHOW that letter to any potential employer, but with this employer it didn't seem to work. Is there anything else I can try?

It's too late to give the SS office a call right now, but I'll do it tomorrow and see if there's any news.

I had the same issue. He had to do a manual verification to fix it. Call the HEAD office to talk about it. That's how I found out that they hadn't actually submitted my request yet, and how I found out that they had forgotten to get some info off my GC that they needed. Took me around 2 months but luckily I still had my maiden name one if I needed it.