How long has it been since you took a close look at your hiring paperwork? There is a new I-9 out and the latest version is dated 11/14/2016. This date is noted in the bottom left corner of the printable form. I-9’s are not necessarily updated on a consistent basis and many people forget to check to see if they are using the updated form. Beginning on January 22, 2017, you MUST be using the I-9 that was updated on 11/14/2016 to avoid paying a hefty fine (these went up too).

How do your employees complete their new hire paperwork? If you use papers forms, make sure your HR team has updated their new hire packets to include the most recent I-9. If you use an electronic system for new hire paperwork, be advised that any electronic I-9 forms must have hard copies that are printed, signed, and dated to remain compliant. If you use a separate vendor to manage this, it’s smart to double check to make sure they are in compliance with the new form.

Audits are expected to increase as more scrutiny is placed on work authorization and immigration. It’s critical that your team is trained in determining whether an employee is authorized to work in the United States. To ensure that new hires are providing authentic employment eligibility documents (valid passports, valid work visas, legitimate social security cards, etc.) you should be using E-Verify to validate each form of identification you receive.

Fines for employing someone who is not authorized to work in the U.S. can be as high as $4,300 for a single violation and as high as $21,000 for multiple violations. Don’t let something like this put your company at risk!

Need a quick way to access the new Form I-9? Just click here.