E-Verify, a federal system that lets employers check the legal status of their workers, is soaring in popularity across the country fueled by anxiety over workplace raids and uncertainty over the future of the nation's illegal immigrants.
E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly-hired employees. E-Verify is free and voluntary and is the best means available for determining employment eligibility and the validity of Social Security Numbers. This new system reduces unauthorized employment, minimizes verification-related discrimination, is quick and non-burdensome to employers, and protects civil liberties and employee privacy. To register, go to: www.vis-dhs.com/EmployerRegistration.
The revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, went into effect April 3, 2009 for all employers. The revised list of documents acceptable for the Form I-9 may no longer be used.
