County Releases Employee Info To American Express
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
County employee Social Security numbers and home addresses were released to a credit card company and some employees aren't happy about it because they weren't asked.
County employees who drive county-owned vehicles home were issued credit cards through American Express. The cards have each driver's name on them. The cards are to be for vehicle maintenance only, to purchase fuel, oil, windshield wipers, etc.
American Express wouldn't issue the 78 cards until the company received employees' Social Security numbers and home addresses, reportedly to ensure no one's American Express bill was hugely overdue.
The release of Social Security numbers is very limited under federal and state laws. One exception is to inform the employee whether or not the release is mandatory. The employee could then sign an acknowledgement of the release.
"We should have asked," said County Commissioner Ron Truex. "There was a lack of communication."
Use of the county's underground gasoline tank was ended by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management recently.
The county has negotiated with IDEM for two years to keep the tank operational. In the meantime, other ways to develop or pay for a county fuel supply were explored.
The city of Warsaw has a bulk gas tank but the bookkeeping issues looked like a nightmare, said County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.
And a tank in Warsaw didn't do someone low on gas and working in Turkey Creek Township or Franklin Township any good.
Employees often leave the county on business, too.
The county has had credit cards with a number of vendors for many years, but they weren't specific to the driver.
Receipts might trickle in, resulting in late fees.
An agreement with American Express was attractive because purchases could be tracked daily; there will be one bill; there is a municipal finance charge; and the company will issue cards to individuals under the county contract.
Employees who don't use the new credit card system could lose the privilege of driving a county-owned vehicle. [[In-content Ad]]
County employee Social Security numbers and home addresses were released to a credit card company and some employees aren't happy about it because they weren't asked.
County employees who drive county-owned vehicles home were issued credit cards through American Express. The cards have each driver's name on them. The cards are to be for vehicle maintenance only, to purchase fuel, oil, windshield wipers, etc.
American Express wouldn't issue the 78 cards until the company received employees' Social Security numbers and home addresses, reportedly to ensure no one's American Express bill was hugely overdue.
The release of Social Security numbers is very limited under federal and state laws. One exception is to inform the employee whether or not the release is mandatory. The employee could then sign an acknowledgement of the release.
"We should have asked," said County Commissioner Ron Truex. "There was a lack of communication."
Use of the county's underground gasoline tank was ended by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management recently.
The county has negotiated with IDEM for two years to keep the tank operational. In the meantime, other ways to develop or pay for a county fuel supply were explored.
The city of Warsaw has a bulk gas tank but the bookkeeping issues looked like a nightmare, said County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.
And a tank in Warsaw didn't do someone low on gas and working in Turkey Creek Township or Franklin Township any good.
Employees often leave the county on business, too.
The county has had credit cards with a number of vendors for many years, but they weren't specific to the driver.
Receipts might trickle in, resulting in late fees.
An agreement with American Express was attractive because purchases could be tracked daily; there will be one bill; there is a municipal finance charge; and the company will issue cards to individuals under the county contract.
Employees who don't use the new credit card system could lose the privilege of driving a county-owned vehicle. [[In-content Ad]]