SSA Offers Half A Loaf To Transgender People
For many years the Social Security Administration (SSA) has engaged in at least two practices that hurt transgender people, and even put them at risk of attack and death. Recently the SSA agreed to stop one of those practices but not the second one.
The first practice is to notify employers when the gender of a new hire, shown on a W 2 form submitted by the employer to the SSA, is not the gender shown on SSA records for the Social Security Number on the W 2 form.
The second practice is to require that a transgender person show evidence of sex reassignment surgery before the SSA will change that person's gender in the SSA's records.
The Social Security Administration requires employers to submit a W 2 form on each new employee. It requires this so it can make sure a worker isn't using a stolen SSA number.
Employers must also send payroll taxes collected from employees, along with payroll taxes paid by the employer, to the federal government. This is sent with a report providing th names and Social Security Numbers of the employees. It is important that the SSA numbers are accurate so that the taxes will be credited to the correct employee.
When the SAA receives the W 2 form on a new employee, it matches the form against SSA records. It has been long standing policy of the agency to inform employers when the gender shown for a particular SSA number in its records does not match the gender shown on the W-2 form.
This practice, of course, means that the transgender worker is at risk of not being hired, or losing his or her job. It also puts that person at risk of assault or worse.
The National Center For Transgender Equality has been lobbying the SSA on this issue. And, recently, the SSA has agreed to drop its policy of notifying employers when there appears to be a gender mis-match.
However, the SSA still requires that transgender people submit evidence they have had sex reassignment surgery before the SSA will change the gender of the person in its records. This can cause problems for transgender folk.
Sex reassignment surgery, and associated care, can easily cost $20,000. Most people, in the general couldn't afford that cost. But it's harder for many transgender people. Most health insurance plans don't cover the cost of the procedure. And transgender people generally are under-employed and have lower income than the general population.
A study on this issue was commissioned by the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco. The study surveyed transgender people throughout California. Interestingly, they found that transgender people were twice as likely to have a bachelor's degree than the general population. Even so, they are also twice as likely to have annual income that is below the national poverty level of $10,400 per year.
You may see a copy of the report by clicking on the following link: The State of Transgender California.
Lots of work needs to be done in this area, including getting the Social Security Administration to drop its requirement of surgery before changing gender on SSA records.
Boyce Hinman
The first practice is to notify employers when the gender of a new hire, shown on a W 2 form submitted by the employer to the SSA, is not the gender shown on SSA records for the Social Security Number on the W 2 form.
The second practice is to require that a transgender person show evidence of sex reassignment surgery before the SSA will change that person's gender in the SSA's records.
The Social Security Administration requires employers to submit a W 2 form on each new employee. It requires this so it can make sure a worker isn't using a stolen SSA number.
Employers must also send payroll taxes collected from employees, along with payroll taxes paid by the employer, to the federal government. This is sent with a report providing th names and Social Security Numbers of the employees. It is important that the SSA numbers are accurate so that the taxes will be credited to the correct employee.
When the SAA receives the W 2 form on a new employee, it matches the form against SSA records. It has been long standing policy of the agency to inform employers when the gender shown for a particular SSA number in its records does not match the gender shown on the W-2 form.
This practice, of course, means that the transgender worker is at risk of not being hired, or losing his or her job. It also puts that person at risk of assault or worse.
The National Center For Transgender Equality has been lobbying the SSA on this issue. And, recently, the SSA has agreed to drop its policy of notifying employers when there appears to be a gender mis-match.
However, the SSA still requires that transgender people submit evidence they have had sex reassignment surgery before the SSA will change the gender of the person in its records. This can cause problems for transgender folk.
Sex reassignment surgery, and associated care, can easily cost $20,000. Most people, in the general couldn't afford that cost. But it's harder for many transgender people. Most health insurance plans don't cover the cost of the procedure. And transgender people generally are under-employed and have lower income than the general population.
A study on this issue was commissioned by the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco. The study surveyed transgender people throughout California. Interestingly, they found that transgender people were twice as likely to have a bachelor's degree than the general population. Even so, they are also twice as likely to have annual income that is below the national poverty level of $10,400 per year.
You may see a copy of the report by clicking on the following link: The State of Transgender California.
Lots of work needs to be done in this area, including getting the Social Security Administration to drop its requirement of surgery before changing gender on SSA records.
Boyce Hinman
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