IMPROVING THE I-9 PROCESS FOR REMOTE WORKERS

Federal law requires that every employer of an individual for employment in the United States complete a Form I-9 to verify the employees identity and employment authorization.

An employer has a legal obligation to review, sign, and file an I-9 within the first three days after an employee begins. Even if that employee is in another state.

Review Sign File

ITS THE LAW.

AND THAT I-9 ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE COMPLIANT.

Employers are typically fined a baseline penalty of $935 per error.1

DID YOU KNOW THAT 60-80% OF PAPER I-9s ARE MISSING, INCOMPLETE, OR HAVE ERRORS.2

Some are minor, some are major, but all have the potential to cause a fine.

Why is the rate so high? Because this two page form is so complicated that the government publishes a 70 page manual to help employers.3

80%

20%

COMMON MISTAKES INCLUDE: Using an outdated version of the form.

Completing all three lists in Section 2 of required documents.

Inexperienced or insufficiently trained completers trying to manage the process.

These mistakes might seem small, but they can really add up.

OOPS!

THINK ABOUT IT.If you have 5,000 employees, that means that on average you could have 3,600 4,800 incorrect or missing I-9s.2

And a potential for a typical baseline of

$3.36 - $4.48 MILLION IN PENALTIES.1, 2

REMOTE WORKING IS BECOMING MORE POPULAR.Off-site job postings increased by 26% in 2014, and that trend continues today.4 Unfortunately, the additional complexities of remote hiring make it even harder to manage I-9 compliance.

MANAGING I-9 COMPLIANCE FOR REMOTE EMPLOYEES CAN BE DIFFICULT. One of the challenges is that the person responsible for completing Section 2 of the Form I-9 must physically examine the documentation presented and sign the form.

Employee HR Rep

Nice tomeet you!

Hello!

An authorized representative can complete section 2 of form I-9 on behalf of the employer,

BUT THE EMPLOYER IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR FORM I-9 COMPLIANCE.Without proper guidance this can lead to common errors, like: The representative puts the name of their representative network instead of the employer.

A notary completes the form with their seal instead of as an authorized representative.

And more!

But these costly errors can be prevented with the right best practices.

AUTHORIZED

Assemble a network of trusted agents in locations in line with the companys hiring needs and who can serve as authorized representatives.

#1BEST PRACTICE

Ensure key stakeholders and those representatives are aware of remote new hires in order to meet the three-day completion deadline for Form I-9 and E-Verify (if applicable).

BEST PRACTICE#2

Screen members of the completer network and provide necessary training so authorized completers understand how to successfully complete Form I-9.

#3BEST PRACTICE

Improve remote hiring and onboarding through electronic processing of Form I-9 and E-Verify. This can drastically improve accuracy, efficiency and consistency while enabling integration with automated on-boarding and talent management systems.

BEST PRACTICE#4

BEST PRACTICE #5

Provide designated completers with 24/7 access for completing forms to create an auditable trail and ensure verified signature capture, storage and retention are secure.

Secured Storage

24/7Access

VerifiedSignature

Improve compliance by introducing standard operating procedures for Form I-9 and E-Verify completion for authorized completers and new hires alike.

BEST PRACTICE#6

IMPLEMENTING THESE BEST PRACTICES CAN DRASTICALLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY AND TIMELY FILING RATE OF YOUR COMPANYS I-9s.

The best practices also lay down a dependable foundation that can be scaled to meet your future remote hiring goals. Youll be able to expand your workforce to fit your needs without having to worry about your I-9s being a major headache.

Manage I-9 compliance with a secure, flexible and innovative solution designed for the needs of todays workforce:

Increasing number of remote employees Locations without onsite HR Employees placed with client

Advanced mobile functionality

Comprehensive compliance and

audit support

INTRODUCING I-9 ANYWHERE

Flexible Section 2 completion

program design

Accurate and secure workflow

LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION? Equifax has the answers.

Check out this article: Improving the I-9 Process, Wherever Your Employees May Be

Visit the I-9 Management Knowledge Center for ongoing legislative updates, trends, and best practices

I-9 Anwhere Solution to help manage I-9 best practices for remote employees

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Equifax and EFX are registered trademarks of Equifax Inc. The Work Number is a registered trademark of TALX Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equifax Inc. Copyright 2016, Equifax Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. All rights reserved.

http://corporatecomplianceinsights.com/improving-the-i-9-process-wherever-your-employees-may-be/http://workforce.equifax.com/i-9managementcenterhttp://www.equifax.com/assets/WFS/employer_svcs/i-9_anywhere.pdfhttp://corporatecomplianceinsights.com/improving-the-i-9-process-wherever-your-employees-may-be/http://workforce.equifax.com/i-9managementcenter

Miller, Montserrat. Form I-9 Violations Add Up If and How the Form Is Completed Matters, Arnall Golden Gregory, June 2, 2014. http://www.workforcecomplianceinsights.com/2014/06/02/form-i-9-violations-add-up/ (accessed February 24, 2016).

Jackson Lewis. January 2015. http://insight.equifax.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Understanding-I-9-Compliance1.pdf

(accessed February 24, 2016).

Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Apr. 30, 2013. http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/m-274.pdf

(accessed February 24, 2016).

Sutton Fell, Sara. Lessons learned from 3 companies that have long embraced remote work, Entrepreneur.com, Feb. 12, 2015. http://fortune.com/2015/02/12/lessons-learned-from-3-companies-that-have-long-embraced-remote-work

(accessed February 24, 2016).

REFERENCES

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http://www.workforcecomplianceinsights.com/2014/06/02/form-i-9-violations-add-up/ http://insight.equifax.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Understanding-I-9-Compliance1.pdf http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/m-274.pdfhttp://fortune.com/2015/02/12/lessons-learned-from-3-companies-that-have-long-embraced-remote-work