When a company participates in E-Verify they may be simultaneously opening themselves to extra scrutiny. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now focusing more on enforcement and less on outreach (Sorenson).
The government agencies that handle immigration and other related matters are working together at an increasing rate (Mehfoud).
They have a branch called E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance (M&C). If M&C suspects employer wrongdoing or behavior that could be discriminatory they refer the employer to other government agencies, such as DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) (Mehfoud).
For example, Employer Solutions Staffing Group was recently fined $226,270 for seemingly minor I-9 violations.
An important lesson to learn from this case is that this company was handed a massive fine even though no one was an unauthorized worker. Companies need to be aware of the increased scrutiny and make sure their policies and procedures will enable them to handle the increased surveillance.
The materials available at this web site are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.
Works Cited:
Mehfoud, Christine. “E-Verify = Increased Government Scrutiny.” HR Hero Line. HR Hero, 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
Sorenson, Anita. “E-Verify: Enrollment Up, But DHS Is On The Prowl For Misuse.” Mondaq. 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
