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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services updated and streamlined the Form I-9 for new employees earlier this summer and set an Oct. 1 deadline for employers to adopt the form.
The CBIA, a Connecticut business group, reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires employers to complete an in-person inspection of a new hire’s Form I-9 documents. However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, DHS allowed qualified employees to have their documents virtually inspected.
Under the new option, employers currently enrolled in the E-Verify system can examine an employee’s Form I-9 documents remotely via video conference.
An employer can request a remote inspection of an employee’s documents if they transmit a copy of the Form I-9 they want to present for work authorization; the employer examines copies of Form I-9 documents to ensure they are genuine. The employer then conducts a live video interaction with the employee to ensure the documents are genuine and the documents are the same that an employee previously presented.
Additionally, the employer must keep a clear and legible copy of Form 1-9 in the event of an audit or investigation.
The E-Verify system, which was implemented in 1996, is operated by DHS, and the Social Security Administration is used to verify the employment eligibility of new employees. The system is currently mandatory in 22 states and for most federal contracts.
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Source: Black Enterprise