Final answer:
Only employees with a legitimate business need should have access to employee social security numbers to protect their privacy and security.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individuals who should have access to employee Social Security numbers are those with a legitimate business need. Access to such sensitive information should be governed by privacy laws and corporate policies that are designed to protect personal information and ensure security within a business or organization. The clear answer in this scenario is that only c. Employees with a legitimate business need should be granted access to Social Security numbers, such as HR personnel for payroll processing purposes. Granting access based purely on the duration of employment or promises to keep information private is not sufficient to protect the privacy and security of employee data.