Knowhow: Benefits Online | A review of the Social Security Administration's website with the HR professional in mind
From the day hired to the day retired, handling payroll, benefit and personal issues for your employees is a challenge for business owners and human resource personnel. The Social Security Administration is there to help address many of these issues through the Business Services Online (BSO) section of www.socialsecurity.gov. The article below highlights the different ways the BSO can help HR professionals find quick answers.
New Hires
When completing Form I-9 for a newly hired employee, the Social Security card may not be readily available. But don’t worry. Employers can verify up to 10 names online and receive immediate results with the Social Security Number Verification Service. Registration is quick and easy, and verifications are a few mouse clicks away. Verify an entire payroll overnight. Concerned about employment eligibility due to citizenship or legal alien status? We have links to E-Verify, a cooperative verification program with the Department of Homeland Security.
Technical Questions
W2/W3 electronic filings are made easier with the tools at BSO. Use your own payroll software, or use our W-2 online application to submit and print. Not sure your software is compatible? Use our free Accuwage software to find out. We even have forms and instructions to help paper filers as well. But really, wouldn’t you rather do it online? Check it out at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer.
Planning Ahead
For information on retirement, disability, survivors or Medicare benefits, click on our Human Resource Professionals link (www.socialsecurity.gov/hrm) and find the answers. Use the online Retirement Estimator to see potential benefit amounts using different retirement dates and future earnings. View the videos “Online Retirement Planning” and “Online Retirement Applications” for useful background information that you can share with employees. Learn how to file an online retirement or Medicare application in 15 minutes. Disability applications and medical history reports can be done safely and securely online. Not sure what benefits might be available? Our Benefit Planner will point you in the right direction.
Gender Issues
Women represent 57 percent of all Social Security beneficiaries age 62 and older and approximately 69 percent of all beneficiaries age 85 and older. Our website link at www.socialsecurity.gov/women is designed especially for their questions. Topics covered include working women, beneficiaries, new brides, new mothers, divorced spouses, widows and caregivers. We even provide links to other federal government websites dealing with women’s issues. You might find the SBA Online Women’s Business Center of particular interest.
Speaking Your Language
Still need more information? Click on our publications page and find dozens of brochures in English, Spanish and 14 other languages. Do you have an employee with limited vision? We can provide many publications in enlarged print, Braille and audio formats. Still have questions? Chances are you can find the answer at our Frequently Asked Questions site. Check it out at ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov.
HR’s Turn
So now we have shown you just some of the great tools that you as a human resource professional can use to help your employees at www.socialsecurity.gov. But what about yourself? Have you investigated what your own benefits will be at retirement? What would happen if you became disabled? How about your family? What would they be eligible for in event of your retirement, disability or death? Maybe it’s time for you to go to the Retirement Estimator online and start figuring out what you will do when and if. The tools are there, you and your employer have already paid for them, so why not put them to work? n
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