New Form I-9 Released on March 8, 2013

The government revised the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (“I-9”), on March 8, 2013.  The I-9 is the form that all employers must complete for all newly-hired employees to verify their identity and authorization to work in the United States.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) published the revised I-9 on March 8, 2013. The new  I-9 is available online on the USCIS website.  

The government is giving employers a 60 day grace period to begin using the new I-9.  Employers will be required to begin using the new I-9 on May 8, 2013.  In short, employers may continue to use the previous I-9 until May 7, 2013, and after this date, employers will be required to use the new I-9.  

Remember, employers are required to comply with all I-9 requirements and cannot employ any individual unauthorized to work. If you have questions about the new I-9 or your immigration compliance policies, contact your attorney who specializes in I-9 compliance. Doing so will prepare you and your company comply with the law. 

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 practice also focuses on representing and advising clients with their immigration compliance matters.

Daniel's Contact Information:
Email: dramirez@montyramirezlaw.com
Telephone: 281.493.5529
Website: http://www.montyramirezlaw.com

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