In January 2017 administration announced that there was an "Unauthorized release of employee data" that amounted to the disclosure of employee records on substantively all employees at PSU. We have recently learned that many employees have been contacted by the IRS, and they have requested the employees come in to verify their identity before the IRS would process their tax return and issue a refund. This has required employees to make an appointment several weeks in advance at an IRS office in the metro area.
Members have expressed frustration and disappointment that administration has not been more communicative and not provided updates about the investigation.
PSU-AAUP brought these concerns directly to the President. We learned that PSU administration has made repeated attempts to get updates about the investigation from both the FBI and the IRS. Both agencies have refused to provide PSU with any information. They have refused to answer simple questions. They have refused confirm or comment on whether the IRS letters to employees to confirm their identity were related to phishing attack.
It appears to PSU-AAUP that administration has made reasonable attempts to get updates and the lack of information has not been from lack of trying.
It also appears that there is nothing PSU administration can do at this point to make the FBI and IRS more forthcoming.
PSU-AAUP concludes that if employees get letters from the IRS requesting a meeting to confirm identity, then the IRS must have a reasonable suspicion that identity confirmation is required. They are not requesting identity confirmation for all employees. We recommend that if members are contacted by the IRS, that they cooperate fully so your tax returns are properly associated with the real you.