The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal workers. To comply with this law, employers must collect information regarding an employee’s identity and employment eligibility and document that information on Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, no later than three business days from when the employee begins work for pay. As an employee, you must provide certain information on the form, such as your name, date of birth and Social Security number. You must also present supporting documents.
E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows companies to verify the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. E-Verify is closely linked to Form I-9 and exists to strengthen the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process that all employers, by law, must follow. Though all employers must verify their employees’ employment eligibility with Form I 9, participation in E-Verify is usually voluntary. Some employers may be required by state law or federal regulation to use E-Verify. For example, most employers in Arizona and Mississippi are required to use E-Verify. In addition, participation in E-Verify is required for employers with certain types of government contracts, such as federal contracts that contain a clause requiring E-Verify use.
E-Verify compares information from your Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility. Of employees whose employment eligibility is checked through E-Verify, 98.3 percent are confirmed automatically as eligible to work in the United States.
As an employee whose employer participates in E-Verify, it’s important for you to understand how the program works. By becoming familiar with E-Verify, you can take steps to ensure your employment eligibility verification is quick and easy
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