by

Thinking Through Electronic Employment Verification















As an attorney who spends a substantial part of his time worrying
about how corporate clients run their internal compliance programs, it is easy
to forget that employment verification isn’t ONLY about protecting employers
from fines and sanctions…it is also about insuring the integrity of a process
which, mishandled, can infringe upon the rights of eligible U.S. workers.








As the Obama Administration significantly increases its I-9 audit
activity and I receive more calls from concerned employers and their providers,
the subject of E-Verify – or whatever acronym the final version of our national
electronic employment verification system – is making the mainstream
headlines.  Some folks believe that the
current E-Verify system is just fine and works well; others, predictably those
in the corporate community, believe the current system is already onerous, and contemplated changes will make their
verification tasks darn near impossible.








While the debate is lively and valid points are made by both
sides, the debate distracts from the fundamental fact that the establishment of
a cost-effective I-9 compliance program is a relatively easy undertaking:




STEP ONE: Initiate an I-9 historical records
audit




STEP TWO:Digitize
the paper I-9 forms and












STEP THREE: Integrate
a proven software solution – such as
www.i9Advantage.com
,
      for which I serve as Compliance Counsel – and make sure the solution
is embedded as indelible part of the hiring process.








It’s really not rocket science!












I am working with I9 Advantage to develop a new, streamlined audit
service called “I-9 Audit Ready” which will FINALLY offer companies a fast and
affordable way of conducting a private internal audit, and making sure they are
“I-9 Ready” if and when the federal folks decide to drop by.  Whether your company has 100 or 100,000
employees, drop me a line if you want to know more.




_________













Speaking of employment
eligibility verification, check out this position paper by a leading immigration
policy group:
 

Immigration
Policy Center’s E-Verify Position Paper