A legal document known as Form I-9, or Employment status Verification, confirms a person’s status to work in the US. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires employers to use Form I-9 to confirm that workers are who they claim to be and eligible for work.
Who must complete Form I-9?
Before being allowed to work, employers and new hires must complete a Form I-9. Every new employee must present identification documents and proof of employment eligibility. Each employer should also review these documents and attest to their authenticity. On their first day of work, new hires are requested to fill out and turn in their form along with any necessary paperwork.
Do Workers Need to Complete a New Form I-9 Each Year?
Workers are not need to fill out a fresh I-9 form every year. Employees only need to reverify their forms if their job authorization paper or documents have expired. No later than the work authorization’s expiration date should this re-verification be completed.
How Do Employers Handle an I-9 Form?
After employees submit the Form I-9, employers have three business days from the new hire’s first day of work to fill out and sign Section 2. The legislation mandates that employers check the provided document or documents to make sure they are legitimate and meet the form’s requirements.
A Form I-9: Does It Expire?
Although there are no official expiration dates for these documents, employers must retain Form I-9 for a minimum of three years from the date of hire or one year following the employee’s departure, whichever comes first.
What Takes Place If You Falsify Information on an I-9?
It is both a civil and a criminal offense to lie on a Form I-9. Employers who provide false information risk the following sanctions:
- Penalties or Fines
- orders from the courts
- Not being able to get government contracts
What happens if you don’t have a Form I-9?
Workers risk termination if they fail to turn in their Form I-9. Fines for employers who do not provide a Form I-9 can range from $230 to $2,292. Employers who hire and retain employees who fail to complete the form face fines of $573 to $20,130 for each infraction.
Is it possible to store Form I-9 electronically?
Form I-9 can be electronically stored, or E-Verified, so that federal employees can review it. Employers who have enrolled can use the web-based E-Verify system to confirm the identity and eligibility of potential employees. It electronically compares the data on Form I-9 to documents stored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration.
Within three business days following the initial request, employers are required to make sure that these forms are electronically accessible for review by government representatives.
Without a Social Security number, is it possible to E-Verify?
Employers are unable to use E-Verify (SSN) without an employee’s SSN. If the employee has applied for but not yet received their Social Security number, the employer is required to note this on the Form I-9 and set it aside. During this time, the worker should be permitted to continue working. Once their SSN is available, the employer can start the E-Verify procedure.
