Union moves to protect members from ID theft PEF is making headway in its efforts to protect members from the threat of identity theft. At PEF’s request, bills have been introduced in the state Legislature to restrict the use of state employees’ Social Security numbers by their agencies. “When our members first raised this concern, we moved quickly to create a new system of personal ID numbers that we substituted for their SS numbers in PEF elections,” PEF President Roger Benson said. “Members asked us to go further and try to get the state to cut back on its use of their SS numbers. We added it to our agenda of legislative priorities and now bills to accomplish that are in both houses of the Legislature,” Benson said. State Sen. Hugh Farley, and Assembly Member RoAnn Destito introduced bills S6707 and A10040, respectively, that would amend the Public Officers Law to limit the use of state employees’ SS numbers to those situations where it is “specifically authorized or required by law.” State agencies that request or require their employees to disclose their SS numbers or place them on documents would have to “inform the employee in writing whether such disclosure is voluntary or mandatory.” If it’s voluntary, the agency would have to say how it would use the information. And if it’s mandatory, the agency would have to advise the employee under what authority it is required and how the number would be used. The governor would be required to appoint a seven-person task force — made up of the state director of civil service and representatives of the state-employee unions — to recommend necessary changes in the state’s procedures and forms. The governor would have 60 days from the effective date of the legislation to appoint the task force, and it would have 90 days to make its recommendations. “Call or write your state legislators and urge them to support this legislation,” Benson said. — Sherry Halbrook