Industry afraid of worker ID order

By Susan Ferriss
McClatchy News Service
Published: Saturday, August 02, 2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A new White House order that federal contractors verify employees’ identity documents has some businesses sweating over the potential impact.

President Bush has ordered businesses and institutions with federal contracts to use E-Verify, a database that checks if workers’ names, Social Security numbers or other ID match.

Under the Bush order, employers would have to fire workers whose identity doesn’t square with Social Security Administration records. The computer system can’t flag ID information that’s been stolen, but it can detect false Social Security numbers used by illegal immigrants.

“We’re concerned. It’s still very much open how far back in the supply chain E-Verify would have to be used,â€