A recent decision by the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer – United States of America V. Hartmann Studios, Inc. – has resulted in more than $600,000 in civil penalties for the employer/defendant.   The $600,000 actually represents a decrease in the original penalty of $812,665.25.

The Hartman case was an action pursuant to the employer sanctions provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which required all employers to examine documentation from newly hired employees using Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification in order to prove their identity and eligibility to work in the U.S.

Hartman is further evidence that employers must be diligent about Form I-9 compliance.