Alert for Employers: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Issues Revised Form I-9

On November 14, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Satisfactory completion of a Form I-9 is required for every employee hired in the United States. These forms must be retained by employers forms for their active US workforce, as well as for terminated employees, pursuant to specific retention rules.

A link to the new form is here.

The revised Form I-9 includes several changes. For example, Section 1 asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used,” and streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals. Other changes include:

• Instructions are now separate from the form itself
• Each form now includes a unique quick response (QR) code
• There is a new supplemental page for the preparer/translator
• Addition of a dedicated area for including additional information rather than having to add it in the margins

USCIS states that the revised Form I-9 is also easier to complete on a computer. When filling out the form on a computer using a standard PDF program such as Adobe Acrobat, the employer will be able to access drop-down lists and calendars for inputting dates, on-screen instructions for each field, easy access to the full instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When the employer prints the completed form, a QR code will automatically generate and appear on the form itself. Completing paper forms is still completely acceptable and employers may continue that practice if they wish.

Gentry Locke’s employment lawyers can help employers navigate and comply with the complexities of immigration related compliance for their employees. If you have any questions about the revised Form I-9 or any other employment related issue, please contact Brad Tobias or any member of Gentry Locke’s employment team.