Employer Compliance (I-9)

The Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is only four pages long and seemingly simple. Yet it’s also one of the most nuanced forms employers and employees encounter in the hiring process. Regulations require employers to use the form to verify that their employees have work authorization for employment in the United States. The employee has the option of choosing which documents to provide to evidence work authorization. The government manual, Handbook for Employers M-274 contains 94 pages of instructions and examples.

The balance the employer must strike is to complete the I-9 thoroughly and correctly while not engaging in unlawful citizenship status or national origin discrimination or unfair documentation practices.

We routinely advise employers on I-9 compliance to make sure their employees are work authorized and that their I-9 Forms are properly completed. We have experience with proactive self-audits employers periodically conduct as well as government audits when the government comes knocking.