On August 1, 2023, the United States’ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new Form I-9. This comes as a replacement for the previous one, which was issued in 2019 and is set to expire on October 31, 2023. The DHS has also made an important announcement regarding certain revisions for remote verification procedures. Employers, especially those utilizing E-Verify can now benefit from enhanced remote verification flexibility through the use of video technology. This is applicable for the verification process concerning I-9s created during the pandemic period as well as for the future.
The newly released Form I-9 is a critical document for employers in the United States. It is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment. Not only does this apply to citizens, but the authorization extends to non-citizens as well. These revisions in the form and the procedures primarily aim to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of the process, especially under the remote working scenarios exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic.
E-Verify employers, who might be busy adjusting to the changes, have been directed to this new procedure, where the DHS permits greater flexibility in remote verification. The application of video verification aims to streamline the whole process while maintaining a reliable and secure verification method. Accommodating both, the concerns related to the pandemic and the shift towards remote work ethic, the video verification procedure has been designed not just as a temporary solution, but with a prospective view towards the future as well.
For more comprehensive details of the changes and their implementations, refer to the full article available on JD Supra put together by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP.