Thousands of companies audited in 2018, with more to come

 

Be aware: Form 1-9 audits are on the rise, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is committed to checking if businesses are in compliance.

 

In the first seven months of 2018, ICE notified over 5,200 employers that they were being audited.

 

Companies have been punished as a result – and the audits aren’t over.

 

What happens

 

Businesses may be targeted at random for I-9 audits, which begin when a company receives a Notice of Inspection (NOI). It can either be hand-delivered or mailed.

 

Employers have three business days after receiving an NOI to produce their I-9s, along with any associated records requested (including names and hire dates of employees, payroll records, and E-Verify info).

 

ICE will inspect the documentation then notify employers of any potential issues. They’ll have 10 business days to fix the problems before ICE assesses fines and other penalties.

 

Those with no issue discovered will receive a Notice of Inspection Results stating they’re in compliance.

 

Reviewing procedures

 

To make sure no compliance issues are discovered if ICE comes knocking, regular internal audits of Form I-9 procedures are essential.

 

Self-audit guidelines can be found here: bit.ly/selfaudit560.

 

Companies wanting extra assurance that their I-9 protocols pass the test can apply for ICE’s Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program at ice.gov/image.

 

Participants in IMAGE receive training from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on best practices for hiring and employment verification.

 

To qualify, employers must:

 

Complete a self-assessment questionnaire/application

 

Enroll in E-Verify within 60 days

 

Create a written hiring and verification policy that includes yearly self-audits

 

Sign a partnership agreement with ICE, and

 

Agree to a voluntary I-9 inspection.

 

Cite: bit.ly/iceaudits560