If you own a business and you have not heard about what E-Verify is, then keep reading this post. E-Verify, or employment eligibility verification, is an online service offered by the government that is run by the Department of Homeland Security in liaison with the Social Security Administration. It is a simple way for employers to verify if their employees are authorized to work in the United States.
So now that you know what E-Verify is, how does it work? The E-Verify employment eligibility verification requires both the employee and the employer to fill out the I-9 employment eligibility form. Filling these forms is mandatory, regardless of whether you use E-Verify or not. To use E-Verify, you must first be a registered employer in the system. E-Verify employment screening services was launched as a voluntary program. However, some states, such as Arizona and Mississippi, have made it a requirement for companies to use this employment screening service. In other states, like Georgia, having a certain number of employees may require a private employer to conduct E-Verify.
After filling out the forms and entering the information into the system, the data is cross-referenced by the SSA with the information available on their system concerning your new employee. Once this process is over, you will receive either a confirmation or a tentative non-confirmation whether your employee is eligible to work.
Just like with background check services, a company can seek the E-Verify company check services of a third-party employer agent, like PSI, to do the whole process for them. Beware of companies that only offer entry to the E-Verify portal. Make sure that they also offer to do the tracking, submitting of the I-9 forms, and delivery of the information that you need. A good E-Verify Employer Agent service will also review form I-9’s for technical errors or will provide electronic form I-9’s with smart-form technology to help reduce technical errors.
Is E-Verify for you? E-Verify employment eligibility verification is mandatory for all companies that are contracted by the government, including state agencies in Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, Rhode Island, Georgia, Colorado, North Carolina, Idaho, and Minnesota. It is also required for public contractors and private businesses owned in Arizona and Mississippi. For businesses in other states, E-Verify is voluntary, or may be voluntary until a certain number of employees is reached.
PSI is a designated E-Verify employer agent service. We simplify the employment eligibility verification process for companies by reviewing and processing their form I-9’s, offering a robust electronic I-9 system, and we offer compliance assistance by employees that are trained to catch common errors. To learn more about our services, give us a call or email our sales team today!