Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper pll
Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper pll

New I-9 form for use on September 18, 2017

Sep 15, 2017

Don’t forget to begin using the new Form I-9 on Monday September 18, 2017.  This is the third time this year that the Form I-9 has been updated.  The Smart Form I-9 went into effect in January, corrections were made in the spring, and a new version goes into effect on September 18.  According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the new revisions are relatively minor and primarily relate to the List of Acceptable Documents.  The retention and storage requirements remain the same.

A new 15-page set of instructions is available for the form, and an updated Handbook for Employers, a valuable resource for those handling Form I-9 issues is available on the USCIS website.

The new form applies to new hires only and has an expiration date of August 31, 2019.  You may retrieve the new form here.  Be sure to remove any of the previous forms from your new hire packets to avoid inadvertently using an outdated form.

This post is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.  If you have any questions about this information, please contact an employment law attorney at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L. at 937-324-5541.

 

“SMART” I-9 FORMS GO INTO EFFECT MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017

Jan 19, 2017

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE:  “SMART” I-9 FORMS GO INTO EFFECT MONDAY 

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released the newest version of the I-9 Form during the last quarter of 2016.  This email serves as a reminder that the previous form expires on January 21, 2017.  If you haven’t already implemented the new form into your hiring process, you must do so by Monday, January 22, 2017.

The new form is available here: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9.

Employers and employees alike have historically struggled to complete the I-9 form correctly.  The two-page form is very detailed, creating many opportunities for technical errors that could result in fines and penalties for employers.  The new “smart” I-9 has a number of features designed to improve the process and reduce errors.  Some of the most notable changes include:

  • Validated fields ensure information is entered properly;
  • Drop-down lists and calendars replace blank entry spaces in some fields;
  • Embedded instructions specific to each field that can be accessed by clicking or hovering over a corresponding “question mark” icon; and
  • A dedicated area to enter additional information related to work-authorization scenarios (e.g., Temporary Protected Status, Optional Practical Training extensions, H-1B Portability, etc.).

A particularly nice feature of the “smart” I-9 is the ability to complete the form electronically in fillable pdf format.  You should note that the “smart” I-9 stops short of being an “electronic form.” As such, employers will still need to print the document, obtain handwritten signatures and follow their established filing and retention procedures for storing completed documents.  However, the electronic data entry features should help ensure that information is entered in the correct formats and mandatory fields are not left blank.

Although the new form is designed to reduce the frequency of data-entry and technical errors employers must still carefully review completed forms for accuracy in order to avoid costly financial penalties. 

This post is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.  If you have any questions about this information, please contact an attorney at Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, P.L.L. at 937-324-5541.