Why and How You Should Be Doing I-9 Practice Audits
Form I-9 is required for all new hires in the U.S. – both citizens and non-citizens – and the federal government has the authority to audit, or check the accuracy, of an employer’s Form I-9 paperwork.
Think of it this way: The government requires citizens to pay taxes and submit tax returns annually. Because you submit those forms to comply with the law, you may be subject to an audit of those returns.
If a dairy is targeted for an I-9 inspection, they will receive a written Notice of Inspection and given at least three business days to provide copies of their I-9 records. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) finds discrepancies or errors in the paperwork, dairies may be forced to terminate employees, pay fines or – especially in the case of repeat offenders – face criminal charges. Conducting your own audit of employee I-9 forms can alert dairies to these problems in advance and provide time to secure updated documentation from employees.
Published in the June 30, 2017 issue of Progressive Dairyman magazine, the full article may be read at http://www.progressivedairy.com/topics/management/why-and-how-you-should-be-doing-i-9-practice-audits