California State Law Collides with Proposed E-Verify Legislation
Some employers consider E-Verify to be a costly, administrative burden and want to avoid it. Avitus Group makes sure all of our members are in compliance. The penalty for I-9 violations can be high.
San Francisco, California (PRWEB) May 14, 2015
In May 2015, Avitus Group launched a Proposed Federal E-Verify Law Online Guide that clearly outlines what businesses need to know about a proposed federal E-Verify Law. The E-Verify Online Guide is available to all businesses and is designed to help businesses avoid costly I-9 violations and penalties.
California state law limits employers' ability to use E-Verify. E-Verify is a system created in 1996 designed to give businesses an easy way to find out whether the information job applicants and employees record on their I-9 forms is consistent with Social Security Administration records. On Capitol Hill, the proposed Legal Workforce Act (HR 1147) cleared the House Judiciary Committee in March 2015 and a similar measure is pending in the U.S. Senate. The proposed legislation would repeal the current paper-based I-9 system and replace it with a completely electronic work eligibility check, or E-Verify. The proposed legislation would phase in E-Verify compliance over a two-year period based on business classification. Further details can be found in Avitus Group's Proposed Federal E-Verify Law Online Guide.
“Running a business and E-Verify are colliding across the U.S. as this proposed legislation is discussed. Certain industries, including agriculture, which is a large industry in California, strongly oppose the measure, as a majority of workers are undocumented. On the other hand, several large business groups, including the National Restaurant Association, the National Association of Homebuilders and the International Franchise Association have endorsed the proposed legislation,” says San Francisco-based Avitus Group Director of Human Resources & Risk Management Cynthia Hancock. “Avitus Group is here to provide the facts for business owners to make their own decisions on whether E-Verify is right for them. We’re also here to protect our members and make sure they follow the laws in place when it comes to documentation.”
As of now, the mandated use of E-Verify is as follows: Beginning in 2007, the I-9 information of all prospective federal employees had to be run through the system. Two years later, the same requirement was extended to federal contractors. Today, according to the immigration control advocacy organization, NumbersUSA, four states, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina, require all employers to use E-Verify. Thirteen additional states require use of the system by state agencies (and in some cases, contractors to those agencies). In contrast, California and Illinois have laws limiting employers' ability to use E-Verify.
“Some employers consider E-Verify to be a costly, added administrative burden and want to avoid it if possible. Avitus Group makes sure all of our members are in compliance with immigration laws, so no matter what the law is, they are within in. The penalty for I-9 violations can be high,” says Hancock.
Avitus Group is a worldwide company based out of Billings, Montana. Avitus Group simplifies, strengthens and grows businesses by providing 'back office' support. Things like bookkeeping, taxes, payroll, IT, marketing and much more. When businesses use Avitus Group, all of the necessary yet burdensome functions of the business become Avitus Group's responsibility so the business can focus on what they do best. Avitus Group serves clients nationwide through regional office locations from coast to coast. The company also serves international clients through partner locations in Europe, Canada, China, England, India, Japan and Singapore.
