Thread: Tucson: System ready to check work status

Tucson Region
System ready to check work status
By Daniel Scarpinato

arizona daily star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.24.2007

PHOENIX — The online program Arizona businesses will use to verify job applicants' legal status can now serve millions of additional companies, a federal representative said Monday.

Businesses in the state will be required to use the program starting Jan. 1 under the employer-sanctions law passed by the Legislature this year.
The Basic Pilot Program, an online program that reports legal status within seconds, was overhauled this year to prepare for federal legislation that was never enacted, said Michael Mayhew, a representative with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Verification Division.
As a result, Mayhew said the system, criticized by some business groups as ill-equipped to handle the demand Arizona's new law might create, can manage 7 million new companies — dwarfing the 130,000 expected to sign up in Arizona.

"Arizona is not even a grain of sand on the beach," said House Speaker Jim Weiers, who organized a demonstration at the state Capitol. "All these misnomers and rumors we've heard that there isn't capacity — well, it's there. You are literally able to get the information in three to five seconds."
The new law, said to be one of the toughest of its kind in the country, requires businesses to verify legal status of new hires through the Basic Pilot Program.

A business that knowingly employs illegal immigrants who have not been cleared through the program could lose its license for up to 10 days.
Employers would be placed on three years' probation, required to fire all illegal employees and sign an affidavit promising not to do it again.

If caught a second time while on probation, a business would permanently lose its license.
Employers must use the system within three days of hiring an employee, which, because of federal law, prevents employers from checking the status of current employees, Mayhew said. But an employer could run existing employees through the system by simply lying about their start dates.

If an employee is found to be a non-citizen, the individual has eight working days to contest the finding. For example, someone who has changed their name through marriage may need to update their information with the Social Security Administration.
If the issue isn't contested, the employee is considered ineligible to work.
"At that point you are knowingly employing an illegal alien and have to take appropriate action," Mayhew said.

Mayhew said the agency adjusted its software to accommodate the use of two last names, a common practice among those of Latin American descent.
"I wouldn't say it takes care of the problem 100 percent," he said. "Anything we can to add new data sources or new algorithms we're willing to do and we're appropriated to do."
But the move is still a tough sell for some who oppose the bill.

Todd Sanders, vice president of public affairs and economic development for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, said the program doesn't do enough to catch identity theft.

"If you're not going to get to the real problem by using the Basic Pilot Program, if you're still going to have identity theft out there, well, then why put employers through these hoops?" Sanders asked.
Another concern is that there is no way for businesses without computers or Internet access to use the program.

Mayhew said there have been discussions about a telephone system, but there are currently no plans to create one. He said the Web site can be accessed from any computer with Internet access, and it is secure, so personal information should be safe.
"Would you want your employer to take all of your information down to the library and key it in on a public computer?" Sanders said. "I think that's a liability for a business."
Arizona joins Georgia, Colorado and Oklahoma in mandating use of the verification system.

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What the hell does this have to do with Illegal immigration?

This isnt a "news" posting site.

Originally Posted by shotgun

What the hell does this have to do with Illegal immigration?

This isnt a "news" posting site.

I did post an article on the wrong thread. I have removed it and replaced it with one on subject. Thank you for pointing it out and I apologize for so offending you.

I always thought if employers wanted to know it those they are hiring have legal documents was to check documents with data of those that issue those documents and if they do not match then they are illegal workers. Any time my SS number is checked it matches SS data. My drivers license match DMVs data. Simple as that.

"If you're not going to get to the real problem by using the Basic Pilot Program, if you're still going to have identity theft out there, well, then why put employers through these hoops?" Sanders asked.
Another concern is that there is no way for businesses without computers or Internet access to use the program.


Identifying theft is not the job of the employer - employing people who are legally able to work in this country is their job. What is he talking about?

OK, maybe some businsses don't have computers - it's possible. Most libraries, I assume all, have internet access. How long would it take someone to run down to the library, type in a few numbers and get the results.

Lame, lame, lame.

Employee system can handle Ariz. ID checks
Mary Jo Pitzl
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2007 12:00 AM

Employers worried that a federal employment-check process can't handle a crush of new business from Arizona should calm down: The system is ready for up to 7 million employers, a federal official said Monday.

"We would have no problem handling the load of queries from the state nor the load of registrations," said Michael Mayhew, an analyst with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

That's because the federal government ramped up the Basic Pilot Program in anticipation of Congress passing a comprehensive immigration bill this year. That didn't happen, but the system that checks employees' Social Security numbers and their citizenship status will easily be able to handle the more than 130,000 businesses in Arizona, Mayhew said.





All Arizona employers will be required to use the Basic Pilot Program for new hires as of Jan. 1, under the terms of the state's employer-sanctions law.

Mayhew spoke at the state Capitol before representatives of several business groups that have protested the new law. The meeting was arranged by the office of Speaker Jim Weiers, who has been singled out by some businesses angry about the new law.

Todd Sanders, vice president of public affairs for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, said it was reassuring to hear that capacity won't be a stumbling block.

But Sanders and other business representatives said they still have qualms about the program, such as its susceptibility to identity theft and its ability to handle compound last names, which are common among Latinos.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 0724.html#

You know, if I were an AZ employer - first off, I wouldn't be hiring illegals.

If, however, I knew I had some illegals, I would be getting rid of them very fast and hiring American workers. I would want to be the first to advertise. That way I would have a much larger applicant base and be able to find the best employees. I would have myself in order before Jan 1st.

This system is now set up for all Employers in the US to use. All it means is entering a SS number into a form and it is validated. They need to enhance it so that if duplicate searches are done on the same number a flag is sent up and investigations begin. They should also have it set up so that a SS # of a deceased person is flagged if it shows up as well.

I wonder if they will.

Yes, it would also seem good to know if that number was being used already for employment. Of course, someone could have more than one job, but it would cut down on some fraud.

Personally, I think if it showed the name, DOB, and sex of the person, many could be weeded out immediately. A lot of these people use children's numbers. Most children are given SS# when they are born, and there are really few reasons for them to be used until they become adults - so it's pretty safe for a lot of years.

Yes, number of decased should be indicated.

When I had to replace my SS card after 20 years of not having a card, I gave them my number and within just a few seconds, she told me my name, DOB, place of birth, Father's name and Mother's name.

This could be a great program if they iron out the kinks and fix all the problems they find as jp said, that really should not be that hard to do. If every single employer in the U.S. used this we could start making a difference!


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