How to create new employee numbers

Report · Jul 10, 2006

My company is currently using the last 6 digits of a person's social security number as their Employee Number. For obvious reasons, we are moving away from this method and trying to adopt a new one. The Human Resource group would like to keep the new Employee Number somewhat sequentially tied to the number that corresponds to when the person was hired, i.e. if you were the 3527 person ever hired, your new employee number should be tied to 3527. However, this causes security concerns. I would like to see the new employee number be a little more cryptic than simply using the hire number. A more cryptic number would make it harder to guess another person's employee number. A possibility would be to use a modulus formula like for a credit card number or a UPC symbol. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding a good method for creating new employee numbers for a company with less than 1000 employees?

Report · Jul 10, 2006

If there is no signifigance to the number, make it a random number or key it off the time hhmmss or however you want to create it and before assingning it to the employee check to make sure it hasn't already been assigned.

I wouldn't worry about a modulus formula.

Report · Jul 11, 2006

Convert Date and Time of hire to a number. Time down to milliseconds will make key unique. This can also be used, if needed at a later time, for reference. A random key using CreateUUID(), for example, is also a good idea - as was mentioned earlier.

Before commiting tho, I would check with accounting, HR, etc, etc, to see how and where they will use the number:
Will the accounting and HR software permit dashes?
Is there a maximum length the number can be for such software?
Does the acct/HR software have their own restrictions on number format?
Will the number be printed on checks?
Will the number be printed on pay stubs?
Will the number be printed on W2 forms, etc?
Does the legal dept for your company have any requirements to be met?
Is there a standard set by auditors that you may have to follow?
Will the employee number be used as a key for anything else?
Will the other programs allow alphanumeric characters?

Report · Jul 11, 2006

Thanks for all of the input, I will take these ideas into consideration before we implement anything.

-jf