Leesburg I-9 Compliance Lawyer
The federal government places heavy burdens on business owners. Among these responsibilities is the obligation to ensure that all employees have the legal right to work in the United States. This includes checking a person’s eligibility through their status as United States citizens, lawful permanent residents, or the validity of their work visas.
To assist with this process, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) created the I-9 form and program. This is a tool that employers must use to verify the right of their employees to work and to keep records of this verification. Even so, this program can be confusing, and many companies may seek assistance to fulfill their obligations under the I-9 program.
A Leesburg I-9 compliance lawyer can help companies to complete I-9 forms for employees and to meet their burdens under federal immigration and employment law. This includes checking employee-provided documents for authenticity and implementing I-9 compliance programs that meet federal requirements. To learn more, or for help regarding your specific situation, contact an immigration attorney today.
The I-9 Form and Required Documentation
The United States government only allows certain people to obtain employment in Leesburg and throughout the country. Specifically, these are people who are United States citizens, Green Card holders, or people with visas for a certain work purpose. It falls to potential employers to ensure that workers have the correct authorization to take on jobs.
The tool to accomplish this goal is Form I-9. This form places a burden on both workers and employers to ensure compliance. A worker must provide documentation to the employer that proves their ability to work. At the same time, the workplace must examine this evidence for authenticity and keep copies of the documentation.
Examples of documentation that candidates may provide include:
- U.S. Passports
- Copies of a Green Card
- A driver’s license
- Visa forms with approval notifications
- A foreign passport
A Leesburg immigration lawyer with I-9 compliance experience can provide more information about completing an I-9 form. They can also help companies who need to authenticate employee-provided documentation for accuracy.
Ensuring Compliance into the Future
All workplaces must complete Form I-9 for each employee within three days of the hire. Additionally, it may benefit a company to complete this process during an initial onboarding so that compliance is complete before the performance of any work.
However, proper I-9 compliance does not end with the initial completion of the form. The USCIS may ask a company to provide their copies of Form I-9 at any time. Accordingly, immigration laws require companies to keep these records for at least three years after the date of hire, or for one year after the end of employment, whichever is longer. A failure to conform with this requirement can see a variety of civil penalties and even criminal prosecutor for harboring undocumented workers. A knowledgeable immigration attorney can help companies to create I-9 compliance plans that conform to the USCIS filing requirements.
Contact a Leesburg Immigration Lawyer to Solve Your I-9 Compliance Needs
Ensuring that your employees have proper authorization to work in the United States is part of the cost of doing business. Federal laws place the burden on employers to ensure worker eligibility, and the penalties for lack of compliance are strict.
Thankfully, the creation of Form I-9 serves to simplify the authorization process. Even so, employers must still obtain an understanding of this form and work to ensure proper completion. A Leesburg immigration lawyer with I-9 compliance experience may be able to help. They can work to answer companies’ questions concerning their obligations under the I-9 program. They can also help authenticate documents, determine a worker’s eligibility, and create filing systems that assure USCIS compliance. Reach out to an attorney today to see how they can help you.