As a business leader or as the owner of your own business, I’m sure you already know about the changes to the I-9 form that have come around in time for its 30th anniversary. Unfortunately, in my travels as a sales representative for GMS, I often run into business owners who don’t know what an I-9 form is, let alone if they’re filed properly.
Explaining the I-9 Form
According to the Website of the Department of Homeland Security, “Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.” This is also a form that causes a lot of unnecessary regulatory and financial headaches to businesses.
According to a newsletter recently put out by HR Specialist and its LEAP (Labor and Employment Law Advanced Practices) Letter, “Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.” A big reason for this was a new audit initiative put out by the Obama Administration in 2009, to crack down on employers who violate immigration laws.
Maintaining I-9 Form Compliance
Those fines can be steep and violations can be simple. According to that same newsletter, “The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) recently slapped a California-based production company with the single largest fine ever for Form I-9 paperwork violations. The $605,250 fine was for violations on more than 800 different I-9 forms. The company's biggest mistake: a repeated failure to sign Section 2 of the form.”
If you’re concerned where you stand with compliancy on your I-9 forms or just need help to get your business compliant with all government regulations, known and unknown, there are steps you can take. You can talk with your attorney or you can do what more and more small businesses are doing and speak with a Professional Employer Organization like GMS about I-9 compliance. Contact GMS today about how we can help you stay compliant and make your business simpler, safer, and stronger.