Starting tomorrow, employers will be required to use Homeland Security’s new, shortened and streamlined version of Form I-9 for new and rehired employees.
The updated form went live Aug. 1, but employers could continue to use the previous form. After Wednesday, employers will be penalized if they do not use the latest version.
In addition to the new I-9 form, a remote verification alternative exists for qualified employers that use E-Verify, the web-based program designed to certify worker eligibility.
According to attorneys at Fisher-Phillip, some changes to the I-9 form include:
- Form instructions are reduced from 15 pages to eight pages.
- The form itself is shortened from two pages to one.
- The form can be completed on tablet computers and mobile devices.
- The form can be downloaded more easily.
- The list of acceptable documents has been revised to include “some acceptable receipts, as well as guidance and links to information on automatic extensions of employment authorization documentation.”
The new form is born out of lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, “which demonstrated the substantial practical benefits of an optional alternative to the physical documentation examination procedures required by the employment verification regulations, according to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
USCIS will host a webinar tomorrow from 2 to 3 p.m. eastern time, detailing Form I-9 requirements, step-by-step instructions on how to complete each section, acceptable documents, retention and storage.
