Change in Law Regarding Social Security Numbers

The Florida Legislature has updated the Sunshine Law
regarding the use, collection and request for Social Security
numbers by state agencies, including the University of
Florida.

The updated policy goes into effect Oct. 1.

It requires all UF departments and units using Social
Security numbers for any purpose to provide written
notification about the collection and use of Social Security
numbers.

Many departments and units across the UF campus collect
Social Security numbers from patients, students, employees
and the public because they are specifically authorized or
mandated by law to do so. Some units also use Social
Security numbers to comply with necessary business functions.

For example, the Student Health Care Center is authorized to
collect Social Security numbers to verify health insurance
coverage. In other units, Social Security numbers are
required for tax reporting purposes, and some researchers use
Social Security numbers so they can pay study participants.
To see a list of the UF units authorized to use Social
Security numbers, go to:
http://privacy.ufl.edu/SSNPrivacy.html. Please contact the
Privacy Office if you believe this list contains an error.

To comply with this change in the law, all units collecting
or releasing Social Security numbers must:

* Place a link that reads "Social Security Number Privacy" on
the unit's home Web page and hyper link it to
http://privacy.ufl.edu/SSNPrivacy.html.

* Direct anyone who requests a written explanation of the
collection and use of his or her Social Security number to
the Privacy Web site where our policy and a list of
authorized or mandated uses can be printed; if an
individual has no access to the Internet and requests a
copy of the notice, then the business unit must provide a
written or printed copy of the notice.

The Privacy Office recommends UF employees who collect, use
or discloses Social Security numbers to complete an online
training tutorial that can be found on the Privacy Office Web
site. To read more about the collection and use of Social
Security numbers at UF, visit the UF Privacy Web site at:
http://privacy.ufl.edu/SSNPrivacy.html.

Some direct support organizations including the University
Athletic Association, the UF Foundation and the UF Research
Foundation, are not subject to this requirement.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please
contact the Privacy Office at 352-273-5094.