Employee Identification Number Applications and Uses

Finding out about different uses for an employee identification number for businesses

When a business wants to find out about getting employee identification number systems for employees, it may be a little confusing at first. Because there are radically different uses for assigned numbers to individuals, it's good for business leaders or HR staff to really take a good look at the web and sort things out. This page will explain some of what's going on with what some might call "employee identification numbers" and others will correctly refer to as "employer identification numbers," as well as covering the use of in-house employee identification number applications and uses with systems that are set up by the company.

For finding out about how either federal or company numbers are assigned, take a look at various web pages that will provide information based on the size of a business and the nature of its operations (regarding contracting), for:

1. Getting an IRS employee identification number that a business will need for referencing itself in tax filing if the owner is a sole proprietor.

2. Finding the federal employer identification numbers for freelancers who are employees but will be operating using an employer identification number that marks them as a business and shields them from using their social security numbers.

3. Looking at other uses of the employee identification number.

Find resources for getting an employee identification number for business tax records

Here's a tricky one: The numbers that the IRS calls "employer identification numbers" are often called employee identification numbers because they may apply to a very small company, a company of one, or a sole proprietor that is contracting work out. Make a distinction when you hear someone talk about an EIN and recognize that many may recognize this is a useage for an "employee identification number."
IRS online.

Use an employee identification number as a freelancer and shield your Social Security information

Lots of freelancers are getting wary about phony employment opportunities "phishing" online for Social Security numbers. If this is the case, a freelancer can get an EIN to use in place of a Social Security number, as defined above. Find out about this practice from websites advocating for the freelancer. Again, this number is correctly referred to as an EIN or employer identification number but many may refer to it as an employee identification number.

Utilize other employee identification number systems for in-house purposes

There are other systems for employee identification number setups that are based on randomly assigned numbers. These may be used for security, payroll or other in-house purposes generally not related to tax filing. Find out more at pages that demonstrate or explain the use of these employee identification number systems.
Anoka Technical Institute.