Our knowledgeable Immigration attorneys can help ensure that your business complies with the government’s standards of hiring authorized workers.
At Gupta & Trujillo, our dedicated immigration attorneys can help you with your I-9 employment compliance throughout Southern California, including Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, the Inland Empire and San Diego County. Contact our office for a free consultation.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires all U.S. employers to verify the identity and eligibility of all workers by completing the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form. An employer must retain these forms for all employees for either three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment is terminated, whichever is later.
NOTE: You do not need to file the I-9 with any agency. However, the forms must be readily available for inspection by authorized U.S. government officials.
At anytime, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Labor, and/or the Office of Special Counsel for Unfair Immigration-Related Employment Practice of the Department of Justice may request all I-9’s on file for any given U.S. employer. During review, the employer may be subject to serious penalites, costing as much as $1,100 per employee if:
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There are errors in the I-9 documentation;
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There are missing forms; or
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It is discovered that an employer “knowingly” continued to employ an unauthorized worker.
In recent years, DHS has increasingly targeted the workplace as a way to keep an eye on foreign nationals. The number of employers criminally prosecuted for violations of I-9 employment eligibility verification has also risen steadily over the past few years.
With stricter enforcement efforts, it is important that you contact Gupta & Trujillo. We can provide your business with immediate I-9 compliance assistance.
We can protect you and your employees in the following ways:
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Develop and maintain an I-9 compliance plan for your business'
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Perform an internal audit of all I-9 forms to ensure that your business has the ability to promptly comply with an audit from the governmental agencies listed above;
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Correct any errors found on your employees’ I-9 paperwork;
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Train your staff on I-9 procedures and verification;
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Prepare your I-9 documentation for audits from DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and/or the Office of Special Counsel for Unfair Immigration-Related Employment Practice of the Department of Justice; and
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Assist with negotiation and settlement of penalties which may arise from failure to comply with all I-9 verification procedures.
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