New Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9

All U.S. employers must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual hired for employment in the U.S., including citizens and noncitizens.  Revised August 7, 2009, the new Form I-9 includes an updated list of acceptable documents that employees must present upon hiring.  The new form includes a note that all documents presented to establish identity and/or ability to work in the U.S. must not be expired.  The new Form I-9 and new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Handbook for Employers are available online at http://www.uscis.gov/i-9.

In addition, as of September 8, 2009, federal contractors and subcontractors must use the E-Verify system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration.  The E-Verify system compares Form I-9 document information against federal government databases to verify employment eligibility.  Other employers may also use this verification system.

For more on the E-Verify system please visit the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.

If you have any questions on these or any other employment laws, please contact me or any of our other employment law attorneys.   Best wishes, Bob Edwards