Immigration Attorney in Cleveland

Form I-9: Employment Verification

Regardless of citizenship, all employees are asked to complete an I-9 form. This form verifies that you are legally allowed to work within the United States. It does not matter if you are a born U.S. citizen or currently working in the United States on a work visa; in order to prove that you are legally allowed to work in the U.S., you must complete an I-9. It is not only the responsibility of the employee, but the employer as well to ensure that this is done.

Employee Responsibility
You must provide just and valid documentation that proves that you are eligible to work in the United States. A new employer, within three days of hire, will ask you to provide a valid photo I.D. as well as a social security card or documentation showing that you have work verification in the U.S. under a visa.

Employer Responsibility
Every employer must provide an I-9 form to each new employee within three days of their hire date. It is the responsibility of the employer to verify through a social security card, photo identification, or visa that the new-hire is eligible to work within the United States.

Retention Requirements
All completed I-9 forms must be kept by employers for at least three years after the employee's date of hire or at least one year after the date the employee was terminated. These forms may be stored electronically or as hard copies, but it is imperative that they are kept in a safe place. Failure to retain these documents can result in serious federal consequences.

Re-Verification
For employees holding visas that allow them to work in the U.S., it is important that they update and re-verify their eligibility to work within this country should they have a change of status or extension of their visa.

E-Verify
E-Verify gives employers and employees the option of completing an I-9 form online. This still requires the process to be completed within three days of the hire date.

Audits
Occasionally, I-9 audits will be performed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Unauthorized workers will ultimately be dismissed and could be subject to deportation and removal. Employers may face serious fines as well.

Sanctions
If you are an employer found guilty of hiring or maintaining employment of a person who is not legally allowed to work in the United States, then you may face serious fines, including up to $16,000 per worker.

What if I have questions regarding my I-9?

Any questions regarding your employee responsibility or employer responsibility for quickly and efficiently filling out and completing an I-9 can be directed to Robert Brown LLC With our experience and dedicated legal professionals, you can rest assured that you will be receiving dependable legal counsel for your issue. We understand that retaining a business or a job is important to you and your family, which is why we make it our priority to help you swiftly resolve your case. Contact our firm today to speak with a Cleveland immigration lawyer.