General Information

Social Security numbers are assigned to people who are authorized to work in the United States. Social Security numbers are used to report wages to the government and to determine eligibility for Social Security benefits. All employees are required by the Internal Revenue Service to have a Social Security number. 

All employees are required to provide their Social Security number when payroll paperwork is completed.  New student employees must provide their Social Security Card to Student Employment.  All other new employees (university support staff, unclassified and graduate assistants) must provide their Social Security Card to Human Resource Services. Normally, individuals should not begin working until all appropriate paperwork has been completed. 

PSU cannot process a paycheck for an employee that does not have a Social Security Number.

International Students and Working Without A Social Security Number

International students that do not have a Social Security number must have an offer of employment before applying for a Social Security card.  When they apply for a Social Security number, the student will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) stating that they have applied for a number.  The student must bring this letter  to either Student Employment or Human Resource Services before they can start work.      

International students who have applied for  a Social Security number may start working before they receive their number from SSA.  An employee without a Social Security number can work up to four (4) weeks without the number.  If the employee has not received the Social Security number within four weeks, HRS will review the situation to determine if the individual will be allowed to continue working or if the individual must stop working.