HR- Employment Verification Mandate for Federal Contractors
On September 8th, the government mandated that all federal contractors and subcontractors are now required to use the E-Verify system to confirm the eligibility of newly hired employees to work in the United States. Although this is a requirement for federal contractors, it remains a voluntary program for state governments and businesses in the private sector.
E-Verify is a free, electronic employment verification system managed by the US Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. The system verifies the accuracy of social security numbers provided by prospective employees to employers. It compares the information from the Employer Eligibility Form (I-9) against the federal government's database to verify the eligibility of the employee, regardless of citizenship. The program was originally put into place to prove US residency and to ensure that tax dollars were going to legal residents. E-Verify is a highly controversial system, though, and governments and businesses have been slow to embrace it.
Supporters of E-Verify believe it's a smart, cheap and efficient tool that allows for accurate compliance with the federal ban on hiring illegal aliens. They believe it reinforces the government's commitment to working with employers to maintain a legal workforce.
Adversaries of the system call it "half hearted and flawed". One of the biggest problems with the system is said to be its inability to detect identity fraud. Any applicant can present stolen social security numbers, fake certificates and fraudulently obtained photo ids to bypass the system. Many also believe that E-Verify relies on outdated technology and error prone databases, further diminishing its effectiveness.
Is E-Verify the best option available for a nationwide verification system? It's certainly not perfect and there are many areas needing improvement. They have added a photo tool so employers can double check photos against a government database. They are also working on adding a biometric component such as fingerprints? Will these improvements be enough? Hard to say- but for now it's all we have. Hopefully, it is helping to ensure a minimum level of compliance with basic immigration and employment laws?