LEGAL UPDATE
Regulation Requires Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify
The Department of Homeland Security announced last month that, effective January 15, 2009, companies that win a federal contract of more than $100,000 - and subcontractors awarded contracts greater than $3,000 - will be required to enroll in E-Verify, the government-run electronic employment eligibility verification system. Contractors and subcontractors will be required to enroll in the system within 30 days of being awarded the work.
Currently, about 92,000 companies already use E-Verify. The new regulation could add an additional 150,000 to 180,000 employers to this total.
Under the system, new-hire information from I-9 forms is electronically compared to Social Security and DHS databases. The system confirms 96 percent of queries instantly and has an error rate of less than 1 percent.
The fate of the regulation, however, is not necessarily settled. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress has 60 days to reject a regulation, though it is not expected that they will do so. It is also unlikely that President-elect Obama will oppose the contractor rule.
Experts predict that the contractor rule is just the beginning and that companies should prepare for expansion of the E-Verify system.
If you're looking for a fast and convenient E-Verify solution, contact InfoMart at 770-984-2727 option 4 or sales@infomart-usa.com. InfoMart's E-Verify service submits your employee verifications to the DHS and SSA databases using an automated system. Depending on your needs, we can collect your employees' work eligibility information and begin the E-Verify process through an online I-9 form or submit the information directly to the DHS and SSA without the use of an online I-9. Our reporting tool allows you to view, sort and track E-Verify transactions online.
(Source: www.workforce.com)
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