Form I-9.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released a newly revised Employment Verification Form (Form I-9). All employers are required to complete the I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization eligibility of their employees. Employers must use the new Form I-9 beginning on January 22, 2017.

The new version of the form includes a number of important changes designed to make the form more user-friendly. Most significantly, the changes will create a ‘smart’ version of the form that can be accessed and completed on the USCIS website.

Employers should note the following items about the new form:

• The new form is not an electronic form per se, but rather an online tool to ensure the required information is completed correctly. At the end of each section, the smart form confirms everything is filled out properly and will alert the user when required fields are blank or filled out incorrectly.
• The new smart form will ensure the information provided by the employee is consistent with the citizenship/immigration status indicated in Section 1. Once the employee indicates his or her citizenship/immigration status, fields that do not apply to the status will automatically be filled in as “N/A.”
• When opting to utilize the smart version of the form, it must still be printed out and signed by the employee and the employer representative.
• Using the new smart version online is not required. Employers will still have the option to print out the form for manual completion.

Employers may continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of “03/08/2013 N. through Jan. 21, 2017”. After that, ensure the form you are working with has OMB No. 1615-0047 referenced in the upper right-hand corner. For more information, consult your human resource department or visit I-9 Central on the USCIS website.

Tandem HR

If your business does not have a full-service human resource department and you have questions about the Form I-9 or any other human resource related concerns, call Tandem HR today. Tandem HR is a Chicago area Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) that helps clients save time and money while growing their business by taking on the administrative tasks associated with human resources, benefits, payroll, tax administration, regulatory compliance and risk management.

Call 630.928.0510 or visit TandemHR.com for more information today.