Starting Sept. 8, only those firms that E-Verify, which electronically checks whether employees are authorized to work in the U.S will be eligible for federal contracts.
The administration announced Wednesday that federal contractors and subcontractors would soon be required to verify that their employees are eligible to work in the U.S using the E-Verify system.
Beginning Sept. 8, the government will award contracts only to companies that enroll in E-Verify, an online program that uses federal databases to check whether employees are in the country legally and authorized to work. Businesses receiving money under the federal stimulus program also will be subjected to the rule.
Tags: Deparment of Homeland Security, DHS, E-Verify, Employment Verification, Form I-9, I-9 Compliance, I-9 Form, ICE Inspections, immigration, Notice of Inspection, work authorization, Worksite Inspection
E-Verify, Federal Contractors, Form I-9 Enforcement, I-9 Compliance | admin | 
July 9, 2009 9:47 am | 
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Are you prepared? Employers wishing to protect their businesses from huge civil fines and possible criminal prosecution in the event of an ICE audit should be certain that they are completing each Form I-9 correctly and completely. It is also important to know the rules about how long to retain those documents. Anyone involved in the hiring process should be trained on the correct way to complete I-9 forms, maintain I-9 compliance, and federal the recordkeeping requirements. Many states have also adopted additional requirements for complying with I-9 regulations.
Employers should adhere to Form I-9 “best practices” including:
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Properly complete I-9 forms at the time a new employee is hired.
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Accept only approved documents as proof of identification and work eligibility.
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Properly store Forms I-9.
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Review Form I-9 regurlarly to identify employees who need updates in status.
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Retain the I-9 forms of terminated employees for the appropriate lenght of time as required by the law.
A designated E-Verify agent, I-9Okay helps employers attain Form I-9 compliance, reduce risks and liabilityof fines and penalties, and eliminate costly errors For more information, visit www.I-9okay.com, email info@I-9okay.com, or call 1-719-287-9197.
Well, just ask Krispy Kreme. They were fined $40,000 this week for I-9 non-compliance. Ask American Apparel who is facing fines of $150, 000 + and because they are alleged to have hired unauthorized workers, the law allows for jail time as well. Keep an eye on the news, this is just the beginning. ICE is inspecting work sites at a record pace and there will be more stories like this surfacing every day. The law puts the responsibility of verifying employment authorization solely on the shoulders of the employer! It has been the law for more than 20 years and businesses are either choosing not to comply or are not clear how to comply. This is dangerous territory.
The new era of enforcement has begun and every company is at risk of facing fines for non-compliance. Every business owner should take a hard look at their hiring practices and company policies relating to the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
For more information on the Form I-9 and E-Verify visit www.I-9Okay.com
Tags: Deparment of Homeland Security, DHS, Employer Sanctions Law, Employment Verification, Form I-9, I-9 Form, ICE Inspections, illegal employment, immigration, legal work status, Notice of Inspection, work authorization, Worksite Inspection
Employee Verification | admin | July 8, 2009 11:03 am | Comments (0)
In a press release from the Department of Homeland Security dated July 8, 2009, Deparment of Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the Administration’s support for a regulation that will award federal contracts only to employers who use E-Verify to check employee work authorization. The declaration came as Secretary Napolitano announced the Department’s intention to rescind the Social Security No-Match Rule, which has never been implemented and has been blocked by court order, in favor of the more modern and effective E-Verify system.
“E-Verify is a smart, simple and effective tool that reflects our continued commitment to working with employers to maintain a legal workforce,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Requiring those who seek federal contracts to use this system will create a more reliable and legal workforce. The rule complements our Department’s continued efforts to strengthen immigration law enforcement and protect critical employment opportunities. As Senator Schumer and others have recognized, we need to continue to work to improve E-Verify, and we will.”
E-Verify, which compares information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification against federal government databases to verify workers’ employment eligibility, is a web-based system operated by DHS in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The system facilitates compliance with federal immigration laws and helps to deter unauthorized individuals from attempting to work and also helps employers avoid employing unauthorized aliens.
The federal contractor rule extends use of the E-Verify system to covered federal contractors and subcontractors, including those who receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. After a careful review, the Administration will push ahead with full implementation of the rule, which will apply to federal solicitations and contract awards Government-wide starting on September 8, 2009.
For expert advice concerning the use of E-Verify please contact www.I-9Okay.com. We are Designated Agents of bothe the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (Rev. 02/02/09) will continue to be valid for use beyond June 30, 2009. USCIS has requested that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the continued use of the current version of Form I-9. While this request is pending, the Form I-9 (Rev. 02/02/09) will not expire.
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