How to Check the Immigration Status of a Potential Employee
With the constantly changing federal and state regulations pertaining to immigration and illegal immigrant employees, it is now more essential than ever that your business check the immigration status of a potential employee. Hiring illegal immigrants, regardless of whether or not you intended to, can be considered a criminal act.
Any business found hiring illegal immigrants could face significant and serious sanctions, including, but not limited to, fines, restrictions on ability to do business, and even jail time. For these reasons, checking the immigration status of a potential employee prior to making a hiring decision must become part of your business’ pre-employment screening repertoire.
Not checking a potential employee’s immigration status is simply risky business and it is not worth taking the chance- Especially when conducting a pre-employment immigration status check is so easy to do. The most effective and efficient means of checking the immigration status of a potential employer is to utilize the services of a professional background check company. A professional background check company has the necessary tools and legal understanding of the current laws to provide the immigration status verification your business needs.
To check immigration status, the professional background company will conduct what is called an I-9 Verification, often times through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, or S.A.V.E, a United States government approved immigration verification process. The S.A.V.E. procedure allows for a systematic review of all records pertaining to immigration status as collected by such agencies as the Social Security Administration, various benefit-issuing agencies, financial institutions, licensing bureaus and other sources, to name only a few. By entering such information as the potential employee’s name, address, and given social security number, the professional background check will be able to survey all of the aforementioned databases. All information found that relates to the individual in question will be reported back to the user. From this information, one can make an educated determination as to the potential employee’s immigration status.
Not only will the immigration status verification services of a professional background check company provide you the needed information to comply with an I-9 Verification, it can also protect you and your business from potential criminal and civil liability. If your business takes all the reasonable steps necessary, including conducting a thorough immigration status verification, it is unlikely that you can be held liable for either criminal or civil negligent hiring.
With all the benefits that can be gained from making an immigration status check a part of your pre-employment screening process, it just does not make sense to not take advantage of such a program. Don’t take unnecessary chances with the financial and personal integrity of you and your business. Instead, make an informed and legal, hiring decision by utilizing the immigration status verification check services of a professional background check company.
