{"id":4697,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:40","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/employment-eligibility-verification.html"},"modified":"2026-05-01T04:56:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T09:56:00","slug":"employment-eligibility-verification","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/employment-eligibility-verification.html","title":{"rendered":"Employment Eligibility Verification"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Employment Eligibility Verification<\/h1>\n\n
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Employment eligibility verification is a federal requirement for U.S. employers to confirm that every new hire is legally allowed to work in the U.S. This process involves the employee completing a Form I-9 and providing proof through a list of acceptable documents. Employers enrolled in E-Verify can now conduct online confirmation or remote video inspections.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Although the federal government has always required business owners to verify an employee\u2019s eligibility to work in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security<\/span> (DHS<\/span>) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/span> have made recent changes to how this is to be accomplished, and have begun strictly enforcing employment eligibility verification<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Employers are required to complete I-9 forms within three days after hiring an employee. The employee fills out basic information such as his or her name, date of birth, address and Social Security number<\/span>, and then the employer certifies that the employee has presented documentation confirming his or her right to work in the U.S. The documentation is from the lists of <\/span>acceptable documents<\/span> on the form.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, although the government will now enforce this requirement more stringently, it has also made complying with employment eligibility verification<\/span> easier on employers. Employers can now store I-9 forms electronically, check the employment eligibility verification<\/span> forms online, and learn about what to do if the employee\u2019s information does not match the information provided by the government.<\/p>\n

Verify Employment Eligibility Online<\/h2>\n

Employers may voluntarily use the E-Verify<\/span> system (formerly known as the Basic Pilot Program), accessible through www.uscis.gov<\/a>, to verify employment eligibility online. Here are the basic steps to get going on E-Verify<\/span>:<\/p>\n