I-9 Form

Once our new hire fills out their I-9 Form, we’ll be able to officially start the onboarding process.

• What is an I-9 Form for?Employee Eligibility Verification (commonly referred to as Form I-9) is a federal government document used to verify that a prospective employee is legally authorized to work in the United States. As of its introduction in 1986, Form I-9 is federally mandated for all formal employees (it excludes contractors and unpaid volunteers), and filling out an I-9 Form should be expected by any worker attempting to get hired.
• Who fills out an I-9 Form?Form I-9 is filled out by a job candidate, typically one who has already accepted an offer contingent on eligibility verification. Once filled out and submitted to the prospective employer, the employer is responsible for verifying the information on the form and the supporting documents, as well as keeping the I-9 Form on file for the legally required period of time post-hire.
• What supporting documents are needed for an I-9 Form?Form I-9 requires prospective employees to submit supporting documentation that verifies both identity and employment eligibility. A candidate can submit 1 document from List A, which contains options that simultaneously verify both identity and employment eligibility.List A:
  • A U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
  • Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card
  • An unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security that includes a photograph (Form I-766) or
  • An Employment Authorization Card

  Alternatively, a candidate can submit 1 document each from List B (documents that verify identity) and List C (documents that verify employment eligibility).

  List B:

  • U.S. Driver’s license
  • ID card issued by federal, state or local government agencies or entities, provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color and address
  • School ID card with a photograph
  • Voter registration card
  • U.S.military card or draft record
  • Military dependent’s ID card
  • U.S.Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) card
  • Native American tribal document
  • Driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority

  List C:

  • U.S. Social Security Card
  • U.S. State Department-issued Birth Certificate
  • Original or certified copy of Birth Certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority or outlying territory of the United States
  • Native American tribal document
  • U.S. Citizen ID Card
  • ID Card for the use of a Resident Citizen in the United States
  • Employment authorization document issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

   

• How long does an organization need to keep an I-9 Form on file?An organization must retain an I-9 Form for every current/active employee within the organization. Additionally, an organization must retain an I-9 Form for past/inactive employees for 3 years after the initial hire date or 1 year after the employee’s last day of employment, whichever is later.