The Rules Change Again!

Amid the news and discussion on the issue of immigration and illegal workers, President Obama’s administration has made a shift in procedure which will affect every employer, regardless of the size of your company. It will also require more attention to recordkeeping and accurate processing of I-9s.

In the past immigration enforcement has focused on raids to find unauthorized workers and the deportation of them. Now, that focus has shifted to employers who hire illegal immigrants. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) will now conduct audits of employers to ensure that the employer has records demonstrating that each employee’s documents have been reviewed and verified that the employee is authorized to work in the U.S.

This shift in focus can have a significant monetary impact on businesses. For example, due to recordkeeping errors at one of its plants, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. agreed to pay $40,000 to settle the issue with ICE. During an audit of the I-9 forms at Krispy Kreme’s factory in Cincinnati, Ohio, ICE investigators determined that the doughnut manufacturer did not have the required paperwork for ALL the workers at the plant.

Will your records meet the standard and pass an ICE audit? Don’t be surprised, it can cost you and your business!