I-9 compliance requires a focus on details, a dedicated organizational system, and the time to track and maintain your records to remain compliant. All of these steps help keep your company from receiving a Notice of Inspection (NOI) audit where found errors could cost your business thousands in fines.
With Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ramping up worksite investigations around non-compliance offenses, your company must find a solution that will avoid these costly audits. In today’s remote work environment, trusting an online service to improve your management of work authorization verification processes is crucial to avoid possible NOI audits in the future.
Mistakes That Online I-9 Compliance Services Help You Avoid
Form I-9 comes with many rules and regulations that often results in human errors made when completing it. Accuracy is essential when trying to meet compliance standards set forth by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Below are some common mistakes made when completing and maintaining I-9 information:
- Using out-of-date forms
- Not providing necessary documentation
- Miss form submission deadlines
- Not retaining document records appropriately
- Failure to follow-up with employees with I-9 documentation
Consequences of Failing I-9 Compliance Requirements
Companies that do meet I-9 compliance demands are frequently subjected to federal violations that are criminal and/or civil in nature. The severity of charges for non-compliance depends upon the situation and any contributing factors.
Examples of common offenses companies can face for not following I-9 guidelines include:
- Knowingly hire an unauthorized aliens
- Refusing to stop employing unauthorized aliens
- Filling the I-9 out with fraudulent information
- Discriminating against individuals authorized to work in the United States
- Not notifying DHS of a final non-confirmation regarding an employee’s work eligibility
Fortunately, with the right online I-9 compliance service, your company can proactively discover any errors and head off an audit before it happens.
Qualities You Need in an Online I-9 Compliance Service
Whether you handle your own work authorization verification protocols or rely on a third-party service, you have to pay attention to all the details and keep your records organized. If you have a company with multiple branches, you will need to encourage this level of dedication at all locations to maintain your company in good standing with federal guidelines.
One way to centralize your work verification efforts is to turn to an online I-9 compliance service. Companies like Pre-employ help streamline your eligibility verification process which saves valuable time to focus on other workplace duties.
When deciding on what type of program you should choose, consider some of the following features that will help you transition from manual record practices:
