Comments on: Our paperless society.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:10:51 +0000

Here in Puerto Rico they want your SS card for everything, including your kids’ cards when they enroll in school. After that shocker, moving down here, I keep the SS cards and birth certificates in an envelope in the filing cabinet.

The European documents keep getting lost, though. So every time we go to Hungary we get to sample the bureaucracy of the decade. It’s very instructive.

By: Dwight Brown

Dwight Brown — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:59:01 +0000

“Let me see the hands of those of you who can lay hands on your Social Security card within 15 minutes.”

I keep mine in my wallet. I don’t like doing that, but it does pay off sometimes.

“Everyone we hire here has to produce a social security card. No card, no job.”

When I took my current job (at a very large company I won’t name, and which I do not officially represent) they sent me an orientation packet stating where to go and what I needed to bring, including my original Social Security card OR a certified copy of my birth certificate.

Cut to orientation and paperwork day.
“Here’s my driver’s license, and here’s my certified copy of my birth certificate.”
“Okay, we need your original Social Security card.”
“Uh, I gave you a certified copy of my birth certificate.”
“Yes, but we need your original Social Security card.”
“But the documents you sent me said birth certificate OR Social Security card, NOT BOTH.”
“Yes, but we need your original Social Security card.”

Sigh.

By: LAMary

LAMary — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:53:36 +0000

Everyone we hire here has to produce a social security card. No card, no job.

By: ashley

ashley — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:16:26 +0000

joody, use teh google and find the horror stories online from people who got wiped out in the federal flood.

Does this matter? Oh hell yeah it does.

By: joodyb

joodyb — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:06:04 +0000

oh, and don’t forget to attach your lien release to your car title!

By: joodyb

joodyb — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:58:52 +0000

we have the literal grab box, which i try to keep in a semi-known location, containing docs mentioned plus passports and immunization records. swell until someone doesn’t put his SS card back and loses his wallet (thanks nn for the SS Ps&Qs, i just downloaded apply for new card doc) or takes birth cert and doesn’t tell me. i have my original; mark does not. does this matter? we have notarized copies. i don’t even have my son’s original. we never received it. probably still in some drawer in montgomery county courthouse. ha!

By: Eric Zorn

Eric Zorn — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:11:33 +0000

Similarly a few weeks ago our eldest was about to get his drivers license when, surprise!, they asked to see his Social Security card. Even though he had his passport in hand and we could recite the number.
It was two weeks and a trip to the SSA office before we could get another one. I ordered a spare for myself while I was there.
Hey, college tuition looks very steep and perhaps I can sell one of the cards to an immigrant.
Must add, however, that not once in my now more than 50 years on the planet have I been asked to produce this card. I think this is why we were cavalier when Alex’s card arrived in the mail shortly after his birth. Used it as a TV Guide bookmark, as I recall.

By: LAMary

LAMary — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:23:19 +0000

I’l have to look at it at home, Ashley. No video on the work computer. I thank you for having my own post. I feel privileged.

By: MichaelG

MichaelG — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:00:19 +0000

I’m gonna do a slow read on that article. A word today, a word tomorrow . . .

By: ashley

ashley — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:01:45 +0000

Oh, LAMary, I wrote a post all for you.