I-9 Audits: Strengthening Your Immigration Compliance Strategies

Under federal immigration law, an employer may not knowingly hire anyone who lacks US work authorization. Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, records how an employer confirmed each employee's eligibility, and must be available for inspection by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor and the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices.

The requirement comes from the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, so employers must complete a Form I-9 for everyone hired after November 6, 1986, within three days of the start date.

This I-9 audit training covers who must comply, changes to the form, employer and employee responsibilities, acceptable documents, common errors and corrections, retention rules, internal and external audits, violation levels, ICE inspection notices and E-Verify.

• Explain what Form I-9 is, who must comply and what the employer and employee must do
• Identify acceptable documents and the exceptions for completing and retaining forms
• Spot common Form I-9 errors and correct errors and omissions properly
• Apply Form I-9 retention rules
• Conduct internal self-audits and prepare for ICE inspections
• Describe violation levels and the consequences of non-compliance
• Distinguish E-Verify from Form I-9 and follow E-Verify rules and self-audit steps

Form I-9 basics

• What Form I-9 is and who must comply
• Changes to Form I-9, including country of issuance fields, authorized representatives, USCIS website addresses, acceptable documents, requesting the paper form and the DHS Privacy Notice
• Exceptions for completing and retaining Forms I-9
• Employer and employee responsibilities

Errors and recordkeeping

• Common Form I-9 errors
• Procedures for correcting errors and omissions
• Form I-9 retention rules

Audits and enforcement

• Internal and external Form I-9 audits
• Levels of violations
• Self-audits
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement audits and inspection notices
• Consequences of non-compliance

E-Verify

• The E-Verify system
• I-9 and E-Verify: knowing the difference
• E-Verify rules and procedures
• States with E-Verify laws
• Key steps in an E-Verify self-audit

Completing, storing and disposing of Forms I-9 correctly is demanding, and mistakes can lead to costly fines and enforcement action from ICE. Many employers now run proactive self-audits and use E-Verify, the web-based system for confirming work eligibility, to support good-faith compliance.

This session suits senior management, HR, payroll, compliance and recruiting professionals, operations managers, managers and supervisors.

• Senior Management
• Human Resources professionals
• Payroll professionals
• Compliance professionals
• Recruiting professionals
• Operations Managers
• Managers & Supervisors
• Employees

Diane L. Dee, President and Founder of Advantage HR Consulting, LLC is a senior Human Resources professional with over 25 years of experience in the HR arena. Diane’s background includes experience in HR consulting, training, and administration in corporate, government, consulting, and pro bono environments.

Diane founded Advantage HR Consulting in early 2016. Under Diane’s leadership, Advantage HR Consulting provides comprehensive, cost-effective Human Resources solutions for small to mid-sized public and private firms in the greater Chicagoland area.  Diane also develops and conducts webinars on a wide variety of HR compliance and administrative topics for various training firms across the country.   Additionally, Diane is the author of multiple white papers addressing various HR compliance topics.

Diane holds a Master's Certificate in Human Resources from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has attained SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications. Diane is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Diane performs pro bono work through the Taproot Foundation assisting non-profit clients by integrating their Human Resources goals with their corporate strategies.