Labor Immigration Law

USCIS has unveiled a substantial redesign of the E-Verify system website.  The changes are both in terms of design and functionality.   The new E-Verify site will go live on June 13th, and USCIS has advised us that all user accounts will remain valid and active.

Graphic Design

E-Verify’s design has seem to be somewhat of an afterthought for the initial designers.  Not anymore.  E-Verify’s design now features cleaner page elements, better visual clues for case status and other important pieces of information.

Functionality

Some interesting functionality has been added.  Among the most interesting, and most disappointing, is the case alerts feature.  E-Verity can keep track of a work authorization document’s expiration date and provide an alert when such document is about to expire.  However, the disappointment comes after realizing that a user must log into E-Verify to obtain such alerts.  According to USCIS, their “current system doesn’t support automatic “blast” e-mails other than for enrollment-related actions. We’re looking into solutions that would allow us to use e-mail more, but in the meantime, the new case alerts feature represents a big improvement in case management.”

Transition Resources

USCIS has made available some transition resources:

• Watch the two new “How to” videos, which demonstrate how to create a case and how to respond to a tentative nonconfirmation (TNC).
• Download the new user manuals and quick reference guides to become familiar with how to use E-Verify (updated publications will be available in early June).
• Attend one of our sneak preview Webinars to learn more and get your questions answered.

Conclusion

E-Verify’s redesign is a step in the right direction.  Not only visually pleasing, the system starts to add requested functionality.  We encourage USCIS to continue to listen to its constituents and add and improve features as more and more businesses decide (or are required) to adopt E-Verify.

The Capitol Immigration Law Group PLLC is E-Verify Designated Agent, please contact us if we can help your organization with its E-Verify and compliance matters.

USCIS released, on January 28, 2010, a recent report conducted by an outside research firm, Westat, on the accuracy of E-Verify with respect to identifying illegal workers, among other classes of workers run through the   E-Verify system.  The E-Verify evaluation is part of an ongoing effort to evaluate E-Verify’s accuracy.

The Report’s Findings

The report focused on many aspects of E-Verify, but the main number which has drawn attention recently is the fact that according to the Westat report, 54% of the unauthorized workers run through E-Verify result in an authorization to work.  Westat and USCIS attribute this high number to identify fraud – unauthorized workers who use and submit documents of a person who is authorized to work.  However, this high percentage of inaccurate E-Verify authorization has stirred some political and emotional responses.  See Wall Street Journal and Forbes articles.

Overall, Westat found that an estimated 96 percent of all E-Verify initial responses were consistent with the person’s work authorization status:  93.1 percent of all E-Verify cases involved authorized workers who were initially found to be authorized; 2.9 percent of all E-Verify cases involved unauthorized workers who received final non-confirmations.

4.1 percent of the initial responses were inconsistent with employment eligibility status: 0.7 percent of all E-Verify cases involved authorized workers who were not initially found to be authorized to work; 3.3 percent of all E-Verify cases involved unauthorized workers who were found to be employment authorized.

Although the numbers, overall, are positive, the main concern and recent political storm came after breaking down this number relating to the 3.3 percent of all E-Verify cases involving unauthorized workers who were found to be eligible to work.  Put in another way, out of the 6.2 percent of all E-Verify cases in which the workers were not authorized to work, the system failed to discover the unauthorized worker and permitted work 54 percent of the time.

USCIS’ Response

In the summary of the report, USCIS tries to defend this alarming number of inaccurate work authorizations by putting the numbers in context and by showing the high success rate across other categories.  While this is true, one of E-Verify’s main goals was to eliminate unauthorized work.  The Westat report casts shadow on this.   USCIS has taken steps to eliminate or decrease this rate of inaccurate authorizations.  It is USCIS’ claim that most of these false authorizations are due to identity theft – as a result, USCIS is implementing a photo tool as part of E-Verify so that employers can match the photo of the documents submitted, with one in government records, and with the actual employee.  Additionally, USCIS is attempting to integrate additional government databases to be able to provide more accurate and reliable information into E-Verify and increase its accuracy rate.

Basis for the Report

The report was based on several sources of data covering September 2007 to June 2008: USCIS staff and contractor interviews, focus groups, web survey of 2,320 E-Verify employers, in-person interview with 109 E-Verify employers and 424 workers who have received tentative non-confirmations (TNC), review of 1,246 records of workers who received TNCs and review of E-Verify program data.  Additionally, Westat developed models to develop estimates of the numbers of true employment authorizations; models were necessary because the true data is unavailable.

Conclusion

The Westat report is very useful in evaluating the E-Verify program’s current state.  Obviously, the 54 percent inaccuracy rate discussed above is going to be the focal point of discussions related to E-Verify over the near term.  It is worth noting, however, that the Westat report used data which is not at least 18 months old and E-Verify has steadily been improving the accuracy of its data and models.  Additional tools, such as the photo tool, are also helpful in eliminating certain types of work authorization and identify fraud.

We applaud USCIS efforts to improve E-Verify and to engage independent third parties to conduct research and test the accuracy of the system.  As an E-Verify Designated Agent, we have helped many of our clients handle with a number of E-Verify issues and have been happy with the willingness of USCIS to improve the system.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a recent symposium, has provides some useful insight into its operations and policies.  We are happy to share some of DHS’s disclosures.

DHS Investigations on Employers to Continue and Increase

Janet Napolitano, the DHS Secretary, has indicated that employer investigations will continue and, possibly, intensify.  In 2009 there were $24 million in employer fines (compared to zero in 2006).  In 2009, 45 businesses and 47 individuals have been debarred while in 2008 only one was debarred.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued  over 1,000 I-9 Notice of Inspection (NOI) in 2009 to random employers with another 1,000 announced at the symposium.   I-9 audits, many of which are conducted randomly, may result in civil penalties, and where bad faith is found, lead to criminal prosecution.

DHS has clarified that it would continue under a two-prong approach:  (1) prosecute employers acting in bad faith and (2) work with employers to achieve compliance.

E-Verify Updates

DHS announced that there are more than 170,000 employers in the E-Verify system.  In 2008, there were 8.5 million queries run on new hires.  96.9% of those new hires were authorized by E-Verify within 24 hours; 2.8% are found to be ineligible to work; and 0.3% received tentative non-confirmation but were later confirmed as authorized to work.

DHS announced that the photo tool will be soon made available to designated agents, as well as to employers. The photo tool should also be expanded to include passport photos of U.S. citizens.

E-Verify Usage Issues.  DHS noted several E-Verify usage issues, as reported by a third party engaged to analyze E-Verify usage.

• It was reported that 16% of the E-Verify employers did not complete the tutorial – which can indicate, according to DHS, sharing of passwords by employers or insufficient training;
• 16% of the E-Verify employers use the system as a pre-screen, which is a violation of the E-Verify and can be prosecuted;
• 20% of employers took adverse action against prospective employees who received a tentative non-confirmation, again, in violation of E-Verify rules;
• 9% of employers received a tentative non-confirmation but failed to give notice to the employee of the election to contest.

FAR

Over 18,000 federal contractors are now enrolled in E-Verify following rules requiring such participation.  9,000 federal contractors have the FAR clause inserted in the federal contracts.

Conclusion

In light of these updates on DHS policies, it is clear that DHS will sharpen its focus on employers and require proper E-Verify participation (for E-Verify employers) and good Form I-9 compliance practices.  The increasing audits, fines and, in some cases, debarments, should serve as a notice to employers to create and follow proper employment authorization and immigration compliance programs.    Please contact us if we can help you evaluate and modify your programs.

There has been quite a bit of legal activity in connection with the Bush administration executive order requiring federal contractors to use E-Verify to check the employment eligibility of all  newly hired employees as well as current employees directly working on a contract.

Rule Goes Into Effect on September 8, 2009

On August 26, 2009, a U.S. District Court struck down the challenges to the E-Verify rule.  As a result, the new rule goes into effect on September 8, 2009.

This means that most federal contracts awarded, as well as solicitations issued after September 8, 2009, must include a clause mandating use of E-Verify for all employees hired during the contract period and all existing employees assigned to perform work under the contract.  The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published information and frequently asked questions on its website regarding application of the rule.

E-Verify Compliance

The Capitol Immigration Law Group is an E-Verify designated agent which allows us to handle E-Verify compliance on behalf of our clients.  If you or your company are interested in E-Verify compliance assistance please feel free to contact us.

As an E-Verify designated agent, we provide E-Verify verification services to many small and mid-size businesses and allow them to assure E-Verify participation without the hassle of running E-Verify inside their operations.

An E-Verify designated agent, we work with our E-Verify company clients to ensure that they follow the rules and procesures required by E-Verify.  This is a helpful chart showing some of the major DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to E-Verify.

DOs:

• Use program to verify employment eligibility of new hires;
• Use program for all new employees regardless of national origin or citizenship status;
• Use program for new employees after they have completed the I-9 Form;
• Promptly provide and review with the employee the notice of tentative nonconfirmation (of one is issued);
• Promptly provide the referral notice from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the employee who chooses to contest a tentative nonconfirmation;
• Allow an employee who is contesting a tentative nonconfirmation to continue to work during that period;
• Contact E-Verify if you believe an employee has received a final nonconfirmation in error;
• Post required notices of the employer’s participation in E-Verify and the antidiscrimination notice issued by the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC);
• Accept any Form I-9 List B document with a photo from an employee who chooses to provide a List B document;
• Secure the privacy of employees’ personal information and the password used for access to the program;
• Delay running an E-Verify query for an employee who has not yet been issued a Social Security number until the Social Security number is issued;
• Allow an employee who has not been issued a Social Security number to work throughout the period that the employee is waiting for his or her Social Security number to be issued.

DON’Ts

• Use program to verify current employees;
• Use program selectively based on a “suspicion” that a new employee or current employee may not be authorized to work in the U.S. or based on national origin;
• Use program to pre-screen employment (applicants unless you are a State Workforce Agency);
• Influence or coerce an employee’s decision whether to contest a tentative nonconfirmation
• Terminate or take adverse action against an employee who is contesting a tentative nonconfirmation, including denying or reducing scheduled hours, delaying or preventing training, mistreating the employee, requiring the employee to work longer hours, requiring the employee to work in poorer conditions, or subjecting the employee to any assumption that s/he is unauthorized to work during this period, unless and until receiving a final nonconfirmation or no show response;
• Ask an employee to obtain a printout or other written verification from SSA or DHS when referring that employee to either agency;
• Ask an employee to provide additional documentation of his or her employment eligibility after obtaining a tentative nonconfirmation for that employee;
• Request specific documents in order to activate E-Verify’s photo tool feature;
• Run an E-Verify query for an employee who is waiting for his or her Social Security number to be issued until the employee is issued a Social Security number.

If you are an employer and are not already E-Verify participant, we would be happy to discuss the options and the needs of your organization to become part of E-Verify.  Please contact us to set up an E-Verify appointment and evaluation.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has proposed a change to the way it monitors how employers use E-Verify, the government’s employment verification system.

The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on May 22, 2009, exempts portions of the Department of Homeland Security’s Compliance Tracking and Management System from the Privacy Act of 1974 and would allow investigators to track E-Verify transactions better and be able to identify behavior which may run against E-Verify policies and procedures. For example, the proposed rule would allow tracking of attempts to use a single Social Security number for different employees, thereby giving the ability to flag fraudulent employment verification attempts.

The proposed rule could require investigators to contact or even visit employers to look into the issue and to determine if there are systemic problems, which the Verification Division of the USCIS needs to correct.  In addition, the research by the USCIS officials could be used to determine if additional training or outreach for employer compliance is needed or if fraudulent or illegal activities exist.

USCIS has updated Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification and the new form is available for us; however, two versions exist. Please note that the version dated 06/05/07 is only available if used BEFORE February 2, 2009. The version dated 02/02/09 will be appropriate for use ON or AFTER February 2, 2009.

UPDATE: the implementation of the updated Form I-9 has been delayed.

The E-Verify program now has 100,000 employer participants, USCIS announced yesterday.  In a press release celebrating the milestone, USCIS also updated some interesting statistics about E-Verify.

Employers have run more than 2 million queries through E-Verify since October 2008, and employers have been able to automatically verify more than 18 million workers’ eligibility since 1997.  As of now, approximately 96.1 percent of qualified employees are cleared automatically by E-Verify, and  99.6 percent of all work-authorized employees are verified without receiving a tentative nonconfirmation or having to take any type of corrective action.

The increase in participating E-Verify employers is not surprising.  While participation in the program is voluntary, this is not entirely the case.  There are 15 states which require certain employers to participate  and comply in some manner with E-Verify.  Also, federal contractors (with some exceptions) are required to use E-Verify.

If you are interested in E-Verify, we at the Capitol Immigration Law Group are an E-Verify designated agent and we can help your company become E-Verify compliant employer.  Please feel free to contact us.

We have written about this requirement in the past, but it is now a final rule.  Starting January 15, 2009, federal contractors and subcontractors will be required to begin using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ E-Verify system to verify their employees’ eligibility to legally work in the United States.

Federal contracts awarded and solicitations issued after January 15, 2009 will include a clause committing government contractors to use E-Verify. The same clause will also be required in subcontracts over 3,000 for services or construction. Contracts exempt from this rule include those that are for less than $100,000 and those that are for commercially available off-the-shelf items. Companies awarded a contract with the federal government will be required to enroll in E-Verify within 30 days of the contract award date. They will also need to begin using the E-Verify system to confirm that all of their new hires and their employees directly working on federal contracts are authorized to legally work in the United States.

It is interesting to note that the final rule is significantly narrower than the proposed rule circulated earlier this year.  The revised final rule would limit its application to contracts worth $100,000 or more, instead of $3,000, and require employers to check the eligibility only of workers on those contracts, instead of all their workers. The changes would apply to solicitations or awards made after January 15, and exempt workers who have already received security clearances, contracts for commercial, off-the-shelf items, and contracts lasting less than 120 days.

According to Department of Homeland Security numbers, more than 92,000 employers currently use E-Verify, a free Internet-based system operated by the DHS in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their employees. During Fiscal Year 2008, more than 6.6 million employment verification queries were run through the system representing 1 out of every 8 hires made in the United States. Approximately 96.1 percent of all cases queried through E-Verify are instantly found to be employment authorized, and individuals who are not immediately cleared are given the opportunity to correct their government records in order to confirm their work eligibility.

We are attaching a Frequently Asked Questions document, released by USCIS yesterday, to address most of the concerns and questions which may be raised by this new rule.  We at the Capitol Immigration Law Group are an E-Verify registered agent and we can help you understand the requirements of the system and we can help you in your compliance efforts.  Please contact us for more information.

Problem:  students on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) are always sent to secondary verification by E-Verify.

From our own practice and from statistics released by the government, it is clear that more and more employers are signing up for E-Verify, some in response to federal or state regulations, some on their own effort to maintain a compliant workforce.  However, as more and more foreign nationals are being screened through the system, we are starting to notice some of the less obvious quirks of the system.

One of those quirks is the fact that F-1 students who have are working under CPT, which is employment that is part of a student’s specified degree curriculum. The Designated School Official (DSO) authorizes CPT for students before they can begin wok by annotating their I-20 in accordance with the 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i). Unlike Optional Practical Training (OPT), no employment authorization from USCIS is needed.

The problem has two parts.  First is the requirement that all E-Verify employers conduct checks on all of ther employees, including students on CPT. The second part is the fact that E-Verify is not connected to SEVIS, the system which maintains the foreign students’ records, including CPT authorizations.  As a result,  E-Verify always sends a CPT student to secondary verification.

The USCIS has responded that even though students on CPT are always sent to secondary verification, such secondary verification should occur within 24 hours, assuming the student’s record can be located in the SEVIS system.    Despite USCIS claims, we urge students on CPT and employers who employ such students to be aware of this quirk in E-Verify and allow extra time for E-Verify screening.