Why would they ask for my employer information in order to make a donation? My employment has nothing to do with this. Are we now owned by our employer who needs to know everything we do?
It’s the law. Technically only required when the cumulative amount of donations reaches $200, but impractical not to collect it for every donation as the org may get in a situation where they realized they collected that much from one person but now don’t have the info because they didn’t ask - given the penalties, cost/benefit sways heavily toward being safe and always asking over catering to the few pedantics who might not donate due to this.
Until Citizens United blew the door open, if you were a corporation you had to find ways to get money to candidates.
Telling your employees to donate to $CAUSE was one of them, and offering them bonuses or matching or other "incentives" -- aka "sign here to get your X-Mas bonus" on donation form -- was a way to move money.
Indeed, it isn't your employer's business what or whom you donate to. But the more straightforward answer is that they are likely required to ask by law (possibly subject to other criteria).
That's a good question, because I've had no luck finding an example.
I do recall reading about it, but that could have been decades ago. And it's hard to find old stuff.
What I find is about contributions from employees of government contractors, and from government employees. So maybe that's been the driver for the requirement.
I wish this idea was more common in society. I hate being asked for identification in order to get a drink — I wish I just had a card with my photo on it and the official government phrase “It’s legal to serve this guy.”