Another (unwelcome) surprise: The Labor Department wants me to fork over $80.10 for copying charges. I'm writing back, asking for an exemption because of the news value of my request.
I'm trying to earn $4,000 quarterly, mostly through sponsorships of $5 per reader, plus limited ad sales. Please use the "Donate" tool in the green rail, upper right. Or mail cash/checks payable to: Jim Hopkins, 584 Castro St. #823, San Francisco, Calif., 94114-2594.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteIs your name and social on there? If so, what are you going to do about it? Also, does Gannett or DOL have to offer some kind of protection to the people who had their social security numbers revealed?
This is unreal.
Is this legal Jim? I'm personally pissed that anyone who wants it can buy my Social Security number. Did the company screw this up? Is there anything we can do about it? Or is this information available on anyone who is part of a pension plan?
ReplyDeleteYIKES! Is this case for a lawsuit against Gannett? BTW, nice glasses, Jim.
ReplyDeleteThe pension plan administration is something else! When I jumped ship in August I soon afterward arranged to move my account into an IRA.
ReplyDeleteIt was quickly accomplished within just a few days. Then I realized that the speedy transfer avoided posting a quarter's worth of interest to my account.
My fault. I should have checked it out. Then again, the administration could have informed me. After all, I NEVER got any details about the pension from the company.
This Social Security snafu is just one more example of someone at corporate asleep at the switch.
Can you post last names and initials so that we know if we're on there? This would be the fourth time in three years that my personal info/SSN have been released.
ReplyDeleteAt a glance, I don't recognize any of the names -- not surprising, given the overall number of current and former Gannett employees. Also, the documents are paper and there are just enough names to make posting last names and first initials impractical. Finally, many may be former employees; these documents aren't all dated.
ReplyDeleteFirst, these people must be older because I got screwed out of a pension and got a lump sum instead when they did away with the old-fashioned defined benefit pension. Second, when I left the company on my own, it took months to get my lump sum, all the while Gannett was accruing interest on my money. And third, now that I work for a decent operation, I realize what a horrible place Gannett was.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, as I said in my video, I have no interest in disclosing any of these names and Social Security numbers -- an assurance I gave the Labor Department moments ago. An agency official called with an offer to exchange a redacted copy for the one I received, but I declined, citing long-standing journalism practices.
ReplyDelete