Dear Just Ask Judy-

What is E-Verify and am I required to do an E-Verify on all my employees?

    … Marie in Maine

Dear Marie-

E-Verify is a free online service that helps employers confirm the legal eligibility of new hires. It compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. E-Verify can provide results in as little as three to five seconds. 

It is NOT a background check but just provides an Employment Authorized (match) or Tentative Non-Confirmation (mismatch) result and never provides your employer with any, citizenship, immigration status, or document information about the employee.

Within three business days after the employee’s first day of employment the employee must present to the employer original acceptable and unexpired documentation that establishes the employee’s identity and employment authorization. This information is used in the E-Verify process. A case cannot be created in E-Verify without a Social Security Number.

E-Verify protects jobs for authorized workers and helps employers maintain a legal workforce. While participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most employers, other employers may be required by state law or federal regulation to use the system. The requirement to use E-Verify varies widely: state-to-state, private to governmental, and by number of employees. To be sure about the requirement to use E-Verify you should check with the jurisdiction in which the employee will be working.

To learn more about the verification process, visit the verification process page at www.e-verify.gov.