The governments E-Verify System will become effective on September 8, 2009. Under the new system, all contractors and subcontractors working on federal projects will be required to utilize the E-Verify System to ensure that their employees are eligible to work in the United States. E-Verify is an Internet-data system operated by the DHS in partnership with the Social Security Administration. The system allows employers to electronically verify name, date of birth and social security number, along with immigration information for non-citizens, against federal databases in order to verify the identity and employment eligibility of both citizen and non-citizen hires. To read the FAQs click here.
On a related note, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced on July 8, 2009 that the Obama Administration intends to rescind regulations and procedures for employers that receive employee no-match letters from the Social Security Administration. The no-match rules were originally promulgated in 2007. A federal court, however, issued a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of the no-match rules shortly after they were published. The U.S. Senate has taken issue with Secretary Napolitano’s announcement, approving an amendment that prohibits using federal funds to withdraw the regulation. The amendment was attached to the DHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2892) which passed the Senate on July 9, 2009. To learn more, read this PDF document and the www.ice.gov.
