OLYMPIA -- The state's Employment Security Department is warning more than 800 Seattle-area workers to protect themselves from identity theft after a laptop computer containing sensitive information was stolen from the trunk of an auditor's car.

The computer contained unemployment insurance reports for 65 Seattle businesses that were undergoing routine audits by Employment Security. The reports included the names, Social Security numbers and earnings information for 826 people who were employed by the companies at the time their audits were conducted - which ranged between November 2004 and October 2005.

"It is important to alert people whose information was on the computer, in the off chance that whoever has the stolen computer is able to get past the security safeguards," said Deidre Andrus, who oversees Employment Security's tax offices.

The Employment Security Department does not have addresses or phone numbers for the employees named in the reports, so employers and the news media are being asked to help get the word out to affected employees.

The department has started notifying all 65 companies by phone and will send certified letters today containing the names of the affected employees, along with a notification to employees about the breach and how to detect and prevent the misuse of their financial records.

Since the companies may not be able to reach all former employees, people who worked for a downtown-Seattle business between November 2004 and October 2005 should visit a special Employment Security Web page.