E-Verify is a fast, free, and easy to use web-based service run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration that allows employers to verify the eligibility of their newly hired employees to legally work in the United States.
All employers are already required to complete and retain a Form I-9, the “Employment Eligibility Verification” form, for each person they hire in the United States. That includes citizens and non-citizens.
Who Uses E-Verify?
More than 353,000 employers, large and small, across the United States use E-Verify to check the employment eligibility of their employees, with about 2,500 new businesses signing up each week.
While participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most businesses, some companies 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. E-Verify is also mandatory for employers with federal contracts or subcontracts that contain the Federal Acquisition Regulation E-Verify clause.
Business-Friendly Features
E-Verify gives companies peace of mind in ensuring that employees are legal U.S. workers. E-Verify eliminates the guesswork of determining employment eligibility when a new employee is hired and is a powerful tool in protecting businesses against those who try to cheat the system.
So what’s the catch? There isn’t one. Companies are already required by law to complete Form I-9 for each newly hired employee, and E-Verify works seamlessly with the Form I-9 process to confirm employment eligibility.
E-Verify features:
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Secure 24-hour access – Access E-Verify anytime, anywhere with no special software required. All that is needed is a Web browser and Internet access.
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Instant results – Employment eligibility results for most employees are displayed in three to five seconds.
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Error checking – E-Verify can alert employees to mismatches and possible errors in their government records. Clearing up errors sooner rather than later saves employees time and frustration down the road.
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Photo matching – E-Verify features a photo matching tool to combat document fraud and ensure the documents that employees present are genuine.
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Compliance peace of mind – Companies that properly use E-Verify get a “rebuttable presumption” that they are in compliance with Form I-9 and employment eligibility laws.
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User access flexibility – With two different user roles to choose from, companies can select what their users can see and do in E-Verify.
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Usage reports – E-Verify offers companies the ability to monitor usage to assist with their compliance efforts.
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Implementation flexibility – With E-Verify, companies can decide their participation on a location-by-location basis (state laws and federal regulations may limit use of this feature).
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Support for large companies – E-Verify offers features through its corporate administrator access method that allow companies to link and manage their locations that use E-Verify.
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Interactive training – E-Verify offers a comprehensive online tutorial as well as quick reference guides, user manuals and other publications to assist users.
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Customer service – You’re never on your own with E-Verify. E-Verify customer support is available to provide you with technical and program assistance.
Take a Free Webinar
DHS conducts free, live webinars about E-Verify throughout the month. The 90-minute webinars include a demonstration of E-Verify and opportunity to ask questions. The webinar schedule is posted on www.dhs.gov/E-Verify
Posted at 8:25 AM
Employees
