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From: dbenson@CS2.CS.WSU.EDU (David B. Benson)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
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Date: 19 Nov 89 22:28:04 GMT
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Subject:	Gauge Proposed on Filing of Wage Data by Computer

	[The Wall Street Journal, Novemeber 17, 1989, p. A16]

	WASHINGTON -- The Social Security Administration announced
	proposed standards for employer's computerized filing of wage
	data and said it might establish a certification process
	for software programs that comply.
		The software standards are designed to reduce 
	discrepancies between Internal Revenue Service tax data and
	Social Security wage data by requiring software programs
	to check for inconsistencies.  This would help ensure full
	credit to 130 million American workers.  The Social Security
	Administration routinely cross-checks data with the IRS.
	Improperly reported wages often result in workers receiving
	less than their entitled Social Security benefits.
		Each year, in as many as a million cases information
	reported to the IRS fails to match that reported to Social
	Security, said Norman Goldstein, the administration's chief
	financial officer.  He estimated that computer software is
	used for filing the wage data of 70% to 80% of U.S. workers.
		The proposed standards are voluntary, but Social
	Security Commisioner Gwendolyn King said she would like to
	see the draft proposal become the official U.S. standard.
	The administration is seeking comments on the software standard
	from business groups and software writers.