While stepping into 2023, it is important for Employers to stay informed about and compliant with the latest I-9 process. Employers must make the Form I-9 available for inspection by authorized government officers and for doing so, they must retain it for a designated period. If the task of examining the acceptable documents from employees as evidence of identity and employment authorization seems daunting to you, we have designed step-by-step guidance to help you get familiar with the process.
We all have been waiting with bated breath for the New I-9 Form to be created and shared with us by 2022, but if history is any indicator of the future, the last time in 2020 when there were changes in the proposed I-9 form DHS extended the use of the expired 8/31/20 I-9 form until after the expiration date.
Moreover, the previous expired I-9 form was allowed to be used after January 2021 until the new I-9 Form was launched and effective in April 2021.
When you add the DHS extension of the remote I-9 option until July 31, 2023, Employers and professionals are now more than ever confused about the entire I-9 Form process. Although the extension of the Remote I-9 process may help with the onboarding process but will make completing the I-9 document still complex.
Although the I-9 form is a 2-page document, there is a 15-page instruction page and over 70 pages in a manual to complete the form. The plan to streamline the I-9 form and make it less cumbersome includes the following proposed changes:
- Compressing Sections 1 and 2 from two pages to one page to reduce paper use.
- Moving Section 3 to a separate Reverification and Rehire Supplement, making it “a stand-alone section, which only is accessed if needed.
- Updating the List of Acceptable Documents to include a link to List C documents (on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website) issued by DHS. Some List C documents were unlisted, so this will be a helpful resource.
- Reducing and simplifying the form’s instructions from 15 pages to 7 pages.
- Removing electronic PDF enhancements to ensure that the form can be completed on all electronic devices (problems that some users may have had due to software issues may be reduced).
Employers must provide written documentation of their remote onboarding and telework policy for each covered employee. Join us on this January to learn how to comply with the DHS recommended process for Form I-9. You will also receive a FREE customized compliance tool to help you develop a better understanding of the I-9.
