The Form I-9 is About to Expire on August 31st. So What Should an Employer Do?

The most updated Form I-9 (“I-9”) expires on August 31, 2012.  As required by the government, employers must use unexpired I-9s when they verify an employee’s authorization to work.  At this time the government has not issued an updated I-9 for use after August 31st.

So what should an employer do?  At this time, employers should continue to use the current I-9 that was most recently issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”).  

USCIS issued a bulletin on August 13, 2012 stating: “until further notice, employers should continue using the Form I-9 currently available on the forms section of http://www.uscis.gov. This form should continue to be used even after the OMB control number expiration date of August 31, 2012 has passed. USCIS will provide updated information about the new version of the Form I-9 as it becomes available.”

So for now, you can continue to use the most recent I-9, but stay tuned to ensure your company begins using an updated I-9, once it is released by USCIS. 

Daniel N. Ramirez is a named partner at Monty & Ramirez LLP.  He is also board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Specialization and has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine.

Daniel's Contact Information:

Email: dramirez@montyramirezlaw.com

Telephone: 281.493.5529

Website: http://www.montyramirezlaw.com

National Restaurant Association Show 2012 - Avoid Being ICE'd: Immigration and I-9 Compliance

I was honored to be a speaker at the National Restaurant Association ("NRA") Show 2012 this weekend (5/5/2012) in Chicago.  I had the the opportunity to present to restaurateurs from throughout the nation during one of the NRA's educational seminars.  My seminar focused on how Immigration Customs and Enforcement (“ICE”) continues to investigate employers and conduct I-9 audits and raids to ensure companies (and owners) are complying with applicable immigration and I-9 requirements.  Additionally, the seminar illustrated how fines can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and criminal penalties can be imposed on owners and managers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. 

In short, the presentation focused on providing employers in the hospitality industry with the necessary information and tools to keep their restaurants from being "ICE'd" by the government. Here is a link to an online article from Nation's Restaurant News relating to my NRA education seminar:  http://nrn.com/article/10-steps-immigration-compliance.

Always remember, if your or your company needs any assistance with an ICE government investigation or any I-9 or Immigration Compliance issues, please do not hesitate to contact our offices.

Daniel N. Ramirez is a named partner at Monty & Ramirez LLP.  He is also board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Specialization and has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine.

Daniel's Contact Information:

Email: dramirez@montyramirezlaw.com

Telephone: 281.493.5529

Website: http://www.montyramirezlaw.com