What is Form I-9?

Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for everyone they hire for employment in the United States.

Why Employers Must Verify Employment Authorization and Identity of New Employees?

Employer Sanctions law (Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)) requiresthat every employer who recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the U.S. must complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Form I-9 will help employer verify their employee's identity and employment authorization. Employment is often the magnet that attracts individuals to reside in the United States illegally. The purpose of the employer sanctions law is to remove this magnet by requiring employers to hire only individuals who may legally work here. Employees must provide documentation along with the filled Form I-9 (Section1) to their employers to show their identity and authorization to work on the first day of their employment. A list of acceptable documents can be found on the website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Storing I-9

Employers are required to store the Form I-9 for a certain period, they can store the Form I-9 in paper or electronic form. No matter how you choose to store your Form I-9, you must be able to present them to government officials for inspection within 3 business days of the date when the forms were requested.

What is E-Verify?

Since verification of the employment authorization and identity of new hires became law in 1986, Form I-9 has been the foundation of the verification process. To improve the accuracy and integrity of this process, USCIS operates an electronic employment confirmation system called E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from Form I-9 to government records to confirm that an employee is authorized to work in the U.S. E-Verify strengthens the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process that all employers, by law, must follow. By adding E-Verify to the existing Form I-9 process, employers can benefit from knowing that it has taken an additional constructive step toward maintaining a legal workforce.

Verification of Employment Eligibility

E-Verify operates with speed and accuracy. E-Verify is the only free, fast, online service of its kind that electronically confirms an employee’s information against millions of government records and provides results within as little as three to five seconds. Today, E-Verify:

SmartERP provides E-Verify solutions that can be integrated with any HR system. To know more about E-Verify and I-9 check Smart E-Verify and Smart Form I-9 solutions on our website www.smarteverify.com.

The post is created by SmartERP employee and subject matter expert on E-Very and I-9 Forms, Rajesh Valdlamani.