Taking a RIDE on the next E-Verify Release

by John Fayon June 8, 2011in E-Verify, Electronic I-9

On June 12, 2011, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will release its latest version of the E-Verify web user interface, which was designed to enhance usability, respond to user suggestions and thwart document fraud through driver’s license data verification. As with previous releases, the USCIS is not just performing a facelift here, but is also changing system logic and data validation rules in response to frequently voiced concerns.

Will the new interface and rules be a success? Or is the system becoming too complicated, like its one-page cousin, the Form I-9? Let’s take a brief look at the upcoming enhancements arriving on June 12th.

Background

With over a quarter of a million employers now using E-Verify, the USCIS has been shifting into high gear of late to improve system usability and overall effectiveness. The ultimate goal of E-Verify is to accurately confirm a new hire’s work authorization following the I-9 process. It sounds simple enough, but many employers (and their counsel) run into two fundamental problems: (1) E-Verify introduces its own set of rules and procedures which often become muddled with traditional I-9 rules (imagine taking the 69-page I-9 manual and then doubling it!); and (2) the overall effectiveness of the program is largely dependent on the accuracy of social security numbers which can often be incorrect or fraudulently obtained.

Improving Data Validation

As we discussed some time ago, submitting an I-9 to E-Verify does not always go as planned. Being an electronic system, E-Verify naturally will require certain information to be entered a certain way. So social security numbers must have nine digits, your first name should not have a number in it, and if you were born before 1901, you’re out of luck as far as E-Verify is concerned.

Few employers are complaining about any of these rules. But what happens if your employee presents a US passport during the I-9 process? Under the current system, the US Passport number must always contain nine (9) digits with no letters (e.g., 123456789). Similarly, the US Passport Card number must always begin with the letter “Câ€