Employment Eligibility Verification, I9 Form, E-Verify, Worksite Enforcement & More for Greater Miami, FL

In Miami, FL and across the country, there is increasing pressure for employers to make certain that their employees are legally entitled to work in the United States. While the US government welcomes thousands of foreign workers each year in a wide range of occupations, foreign nationals must obtain permission to work in the United States. Likewise, employers must verify each employee’s status and keep a record of it on file. This process is known as employment eligibility verification, and the Miami immigration lawyers at Maney | Gordon have assisted hundreds of companies and organizations with their compliance, as well as helping employers who wish to act as sponsors for work-based immigration visas.

Miami employers striving to comply with employment eligibility verification requirements will likely become familiar with terms such as the I9 Form, E-Verify, and Worksite Enforcement. The following is a general overview of those terms:

• Form I-9—This document, titled “Form-I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification,” must be filled out by every employer and employee in the country. The top half of the form is completed by the employee, who supplies his or her personal information and status (i.e., US citizen, lawful permanent resident, etc.) The second half of the form is completed by the employer, who must verify that the employee has presented proper documentation to prove that he or she is legally able to work in the United States (such as a birth certificate, immigration visa, etc.) Once completed, each Form I-9 must be stored at the place of employment. If the US Department of Labor, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other government agency demands to see these forms, the employer must present them.
• E-Verify—This is another means that employers can use to comply with employment eligibility verification. E-Verify is a government website where employers can enter information from a new hire’s Form I-9. Typically within seconds, the employer will receive back verification from the E-Verify website about whether or not the employee’s Form I-9 information (such as his or her citizenship, green card, Social Security number, etc.) is true and valid. For more information about E-Verify, visit www.dhs.gov/e-verify or contact a Miami immigration attorney at Maney | Gordon, P.A.
• Worksite enforcement—Miami employers who do not comply with employment eligibility verification might find themselves on the other side of the matter, called worksite enforcement. Worksite enforcement is the way our government polices employers. The intention of worksite enforcement is to lower the threat of terrorist attacks as well as stop those employers who are extreme and abusive in their illegal hiring practices. A part of ICE, worksite enforcement pays particular attention to hiring practices at utilities, airports, seaports, and other locations where national security could be threatened. ICE also investigates allegations of foreign worker exploitation, document fraud, and other instances where illegal workers are vulnerable and poorly treated.

Employers in the Miami, FL area and throughout the country who hire workers that are not allowed to work in the United States could face both criminal and civil penalties. Likewise, some illegal workers who are caught could find themselves under arrest and sent to Krome Detention Center or Broward Transitional Center. For information about remaining complaint to employment eligibility verification, and for information about how you as an employer may be able to sponsor an employee’s work visa, please contact the Miami law firm of Maney | Gordon, P.A. for a free initial consultation.