U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers must use the latest version – dated October 21, 2019 – for all new hires and reverifications starting May 1, 2020.  Employers who do not use the new version of Form I-9 will risk penalties.

USCIS has also updated its Handbook for Employers, M-274, to include additional information and clarification on properly completing Form I-9. As we recently reported, qualifying employers can now inspect Form I-9 documents remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Pursuant to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, employers must use Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of all new hires. A record number of businesses have been inspected for Form I-9 compliance in recent years; the penalties for non-compliance have also significantly increased.