The E-Verify system is the best available means for employers to maintain a legal workforce. E-Verify allows employers to confirm employment eligibility in seconds, virtually eliminates the hassle of social security number mismatch letters, and improves the accuracy of wage and tax reporting.
E-Verify is an Internet-based program that is free to participating employers. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) jointly operate the E-Verify system. As of December 2007, more than 33,000 employers had registered to participate in E-Verify, and nearly 3 million employee eligibility searches had been completed.
According to DHS and SSA, 92% of the searches produced employment eligibility confirmation within seconds.
Employers may use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of new hires. If employers choose to use the system, E-Verify must be used for all new hires regardless of citizenship status. To use E-Verify, the employer must register online and post notices of participation. After registration is complete, employers have access to an automated system which searches the databases of the DHS and SSA. The employer submits the information supplied by the employee on the Form I-9 into the E-Verify system. Within seconds, the system will return one of three results: Employment Authorized, SSA Tentative Non-Confirmation, or DHS Verification in Process.
If the system returns a finding of Employment Authorized, the employer then records the system generated verification number on the Form I-9. If there is a SSA Tentative Non-Confirmation, which means the employee’s social security number does not match the employee’s name, the employer must follow the proper procedure to notify the employee of the SSA mismatch. The employee then has an opportunity to contest the finding. If the employee does not contest the Tentative Non-Confirmation, it is considered a Final Non-Confirmation, and the employer may terminate the employee. If the system shows a DHS Verification in Process, DHS will respond to the employer with a finding of Employment Authorized or Tentative Non-Confirmation, generally within 24 hours.
Wisconsin employers are not required to participate in E-Verify; however, nearly half of the other states require, or have pending legislation to require, employer participation in the public sector or both public and private sectors. Employers interested in registering for the E-Verify program may do so at https://www.vis-dhs.com/employerregistration. If you are interested in learning more about the E-Verify program, please contact Crystal Fieber at (920) 457-8400 or crystal.fieber@www.wilaw.com.
