Verifying Form I-9 eligibility for your new hires is now simpler than ever with a streamlined Form I-9 and an alternative for employers to remotely examine employees’ documentation instead of in person. With more companies hiring remote workers, this new method makes employment eligibility faster and easier from wherever you and your employees work.
It’s crucial for employers to verify the employment eligibility of their workforce, both to comply with federal and state laws and to maintain a reputable business operation. With paperless E-Verify from National Crime Search, the employment verification process has been made simpler, more efficient and more reliable.
In collaboration with Form I-9 management, E-Verify allows employers to cross-check an employee's information against millions of government records, ensuring they are authorized to work in the U.S. Whether you are hiring domestically or from abroad, these tools are indispensable in confirming an applicant's employment eligibility.
Let’s explore the new alternative method for examining the Form I-9 documentation remotely.
How Does Remote Documentation Examination Work?
If you participate in E-Verify and your account is in good standing, you are qualified to remotely examine your employee’s documentation using a DHS-authorized alternative procedure at your E-Verify hiring sites. If you choose to offer the remote procedure, you must do so consistently for all employees at that site. However, you may choose to offer the alternative procedure for remote hires only but continue to use the in-person examination procedures for all employees who work onsite or in a hybrid capacity. You must not adopt such a practice for a discriminatory purpose or treat employees differently based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin. You also can’t decide that certain employees are not eligible for remote examination of their documentation.
Remote Examination of Documents Procedures:
- Examine copies (front and back, if the document is two-sided) of Form I-9 documents to ensure that the documentation presented reasonably appears to be genuine and relates to the employee.
- Conduct a live video interaction with the individual presenting the documents to ensure that the documentation reasonably appears to be genuine and relates to the individual. The employee must first send a copy of the documents to the employer and then present the same documents during the live video interaction.
- Retain a clear and legible copy of the documentation (front and back if two-sided).
- Indicate that you used an Alternative Procedure on the Form I-9.
- Retain a clear copy (front and back if two-sided) of all documents examined in a paper or electronic format, or in an acceptable combination, for as long as the employee works for your company, plus the specified period after their employment has ended.
The retention of document copies allows an opportunity during a routine employer audit or for a DHS auditor to assess if the documentation presented during the remote examination appears to be genuine and relates to the employee. In the event of a Form I-9 audit by a federal government inspector, you must make available copies of the identity and U.S. work authorization documentation the employee presented for remote document examination.
For additional explanation of the remote document examination process, contact National Crime Search.
Electronic Form I-9 & E-Verify Management
NCS can help you comply with the law with our easy-to-use system that guides and stores new hire Form I-9s online and returns E-Verify results instantly.
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