Employers Find I-9 Help On New Web Site

An online resource center for employers has been launched by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) called I-9 Central.

Alejandro Mayorkas, director of the USCIS said, “I-9 Central is the latest in our ongoing efforts to better serve the 7.5 million employers who use Form I-9 every time they hire an employee. The new site provides critical information for all employers—whether they hire just one employee or hundreds—in an accessible, intuitive and comprehensive online format.”

Michael Young of ConnectPay states that all employers, no matter the number of employees, are required by law to have a completed and signed I-9 form on file when hiring employees.

Paul Altavena of ConnectPay added that the correct completion of an I-9 form includes verification of documents that show applicants identity and work eligibility. If the applicant is in a non-citizen, proper identification showing their legal access into the United States and right to be work are required.

Mr. Altavena also reccomends (though not required) that the employer make a photo copy of the documents used for verification and attach to the I-9 Form in the event of an audit. “Very stiff financial penalties exist for employers that do not have completed I-9 forms on file for all employees, even if they are citizens of the United States and/or hire someone unauthorized to work in the United States,” he said.

According to USCIS officials, the new website provides employers and workers quick access to information on immigration and employment eligibility regulations and guidance on how to properly fill out and file Form I-9.

Michael Young and Paul Altavena agree that the launch of this site is a great aide to employers in that the I-9 Central web site provides information on employer and employee rights and responsibilities, step-by-step instructions for completing the I-9 form, and a list of the acceptable documents for establishing an employee’s identity and employment authorization.

In addition, I-9 Central includes discussion of common mistakes when completing the form, guidance on how to correct errors and answers to frequently asked questions.

I-9 Central can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/I-9Central or by clicking on the words I-9 Central anywhere is this blog.