What is an I-9 form?
The I-9 form, officially known as the Employment Eligibility Verification Form, is a document employers in the U.S. must use to verify an employee’s identity and legal authorization to work.
The form is required for all new hires, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, and must be completed within three business days of an employee’s start date. Failing to complete and retain I-9 forms properly can result in penalties, so employers must understand how to manage them correctly.
Why is the I-9 form important for employers?
The I-9 form helps ensure that businesses only hire individuals who are legally eligible to work in the United States. It is enforced by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of federal employment laws.
Employers who fail to comply with I-9 requirements may face penalties like:
- Fines for missing, incomplete, or incorrect forms.
- Audits or inspections from federal agencies.
- Legal consequences for knowingly hiring unauthorized workers.
The I-9 form is a key part of your onboarding paperwork, so whenever you’re hiring new employees, you should remember to include it in your new hire packet.
How to complete an I-9 form
The I-9 form has three sections, and both the employer and employee have responsibilities in completing it:
- Section 1 (Employee completes): New hires must complete this section on or before their first day of work, providing their full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number (if applicable), and work authorization status.
- Section 2 (Employer completes): Employers must review the employee’s original identity and work authorization documents and complete this section within three business days of the employee’s start date.
- Section 3 (Reverification, if needed): This section is used only when an employee’s work authorization expires and needs to be reverified.
To make it easier to fill out onboarding documents, you can use employee onboarding software, which digitizes forms like the I-9 form and allows easy status tracking of which tasks are outstanding.
Acceptable documents for I-9 verification
Employees must present original documents (no photocopies) from the List of Acceptable Documents, which include:
- List A (Identity and Work Authorization): U.S. passport, permanent resident card (Green Card), or an employment authorization document (EAD).
- List B (Identity Only): Driver’s license, state ID, or school ID (for employees under 18).
- List C (Work Authorization Only): Social Security card, birth certificate, or employment authorization document issued by DHS.
Employees can choose which documents to provide, but employers must ensure they are valid and unexpired.
Best practices for I-9 form retention and storage
Employers must keep completed I-9 forms on file for each employee for at least three years after the hire date or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. The forms should be stored securely but made available for inspection if requested by government agencies.
Employers can choose to store I-9 forms:
- Physically (paper copies in a secure location).
- Electronically (scanned or digital versions with proper access controls).
Compliant storage of I-9 forms and other onboarding documents is another reason to invest in employee hiring and onboarding software, so that everything is in tip-top shape in the case of an audit.
Stay compliant with Homebase hiring and onboarding
Managing I-9 forms, verifying documents, and complying with hiring laws can be challenging enough without handling them manually. Homebase hiring and onboarding helps streamline the process by:
- Automating new hire paperwork, including I-9 forms and tax documents.
- Providing secure digital storage for easy access and compliance.
- Guiding employees through the hiring process to reduce errors.
- Ensuring businesses stay compliant with federal and state regulations.
Sign up for Homebase today to simplify your hiring process and stay compliant with employment laws.