Thread: Law Requires All Businesses To Verify Employees

I really get a kick out these editorials in our local paper. We have a new immigration bill being proposed here this year and all the idiots are coming out with comments.

Education key to immigration woes
Posted: Monday, Dec 29, 2008 - 03:50:24 pm PST
Email this story Printer friendly version By BRENDA J. SMITH
Special to The Press
Law requires all businesses to verify employees are legal

The Dec. 19 editorial in the Coeur d'Alene Press was a good start in shedding much needed light on an important topic: Immigration and the impact of proposed immigration law on Idaho employers. The editorial did provide necessary information regarding current immigration statistics in the state of Idaho, but more information is needed for the public to have a complete understanding of current immigration law and the impact to business.

Current law requires all businesses verify each employee is legal to work in the United States. The law is simple in concept; if the employee is illegal they cannot work. However, in operation it is much more difficult for a business to enforce. Many workers have found ways to appear legal with fake or stolen documentation, and there are entire economies in the U.S. dedicated to getting illegal immigrants to work. Over the past six years, things have become much tougher for a business owner. In 2003, the Bush administration created a new agency under the Department of Homeland Security called Immigration Customs Enforcement. The sole purpose of I.C.E. is to enforce U.S. immigration laws.

One of the primary methods of enforcement used against employers is a raid. An I.C.E. raid will results in loss of employees, criminal charges and costly fines. This year alone, I.C.E. raids have resulted in more than 1,500 criminal arrests, 120 arrests of company management and more than $40 million in administrative fines. The charges against companies range from harboring illegal aliens to human smuggling.

The law does not distinguish between an employer who knowingly hires an illegal worker and one who does it unknowingly. This June, in Washington state, an aviation company was the target of an I.C.E. raid. The result was devastating to the company, which lost more than a third of its workforce of 300. And it was doing everything it could to comply with the law before the raid. The workers were better at getting false paperwork than the company was at recognizing false documents.

The proposed Idaho legislation is in line with what other states are attempting. In 2008 Arizona and Mississippi passed strict immigration laws which create a tremendous fiscal burden for employers. Under the Arizona law, if an employer is found to have illegal workers the operations of the company will be shut down for one week. If they are found to be a repeat offender, the company will lose its license to do business. Imagine the impact to the Idaho economy if similar legislation was passed and businesses were forced to shut down for a week or permanently.

These laws are responses by states that feel overwhelmed by the immigration issue, however, they are not the best solutions. If similar legislation is passed in Idaho, who is going to pay for the enforcement of the law? Passing the Idaho law would require the creation of an agency charged with the responsibility of immigration enforcement. How can this happen during a time of financial crisis?

The only way to ensure compliance by employers is to educate them on the laws and their responsibilities under the law. I lecture on immigration all over the country to small and mid-sized businesses, like many of those in Idaho. The workshops result not only in education, but in cost savings because many employers have thousands of dollars of potential fines because they do not complete the hiring paperwork correctly.

Every error on an I-9 can cost an employer $1,000. I have seen small employers with more than $60,000 in fines. In my experience, most employers want to comply with the law, but many of them do not know how. Instead of spending time and energy on shutting down Idaho businesses during an economic downturn, let's focus on providing them with the knowledge to keep their businesses running and profitable.

Brenda J. Smith, a former Coeur d'Alene resident, owns The Brenda J. Smith Company, http://www.thebrendajsmithcompany.com.

http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2008/1 ... ter001.txt

Instead of spending time and energy on shutting down Idaho businesses during an economic downturn, let's focus on providing them with the knowledge to keep their businesses running and profitable.

Here's a concept, Brenda. Hire American workers.

workshops result not only in education, but in cost savings because many employers have thousands of dollars of potential fines because they do not complete the hiring paperwork correctly.

Every error on an I-9 can cost an employer $1,000. I have seen small employers with more than $60,000 in fines. In my experience, most employers want to comply with the law, but many of them do not know how.

I thought E-Verify was easy, and catches 99.5% of the illegals???

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

workshops result not only in education, but in cost savings because many employers have thousands of dollars of potential fines because they do not complete the hiring paperwork correctly.

Every error on an I-9 can cost an employer $1,000. I have seen small employers with more than $60,000 in fines. In my experience, most employers want to comply with the law, but many of them do not know how.

I thought E-Verify was easy, and catches 99.5% of the illegals???

It is. They just make all kinds of excuses to get out of hiring legal workers.

Originally Posted by tinybobidaho

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

workshops result not only in education, but in cost savings because many employers have thousands of dollars of potential fines because they do not complete the hiring paperwork correctly.

Every error on an I-9 can cost an employer $1,000. I have seen small employers with more than $60,000 in fines. In my experience, most employers want to comply with the law, but many of them do not know how.

I thought E-Verify was easy, and catches 99.5% of the illegals???

It is. They just make all kinds of excuses to get out of hiring legal workers.

I wish I could use the snot-faced, whining excuse that I was "unknowlingly" speeding when I get popped and have to fork over $200.

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse!

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse!

Yes, I know...but some other excuse would please me just as much if I could put that $200 back in my pocket. Are you sure I can't just say I was "unknowingly" speeding like the employers of illegals "unknowingly" employ them?

Originally Posted by PatrioticMe

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse!

Yes, I know...but some other excuse would please me just as much if I could put that $200 back in my pocket. Are you sure I can't just say I was "unknowingly" speeding like the employers of illegals "unknowingly" employ them?

I was refering the Employers playing stupid

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

Ignorance of the Law is no excuse!

If you are an American citizen..the same laws do not seem to apply to everyone in this country!

As a former organizer for the laborers union of north america,here is some truths as I see them.1L.I.U.N.A. is in government recievershipby the justice dept.2L.I.U.N.A. recruits and facillitates staffing of illegal workers at union halls nationwide.3If locals protest they are merged.4This constitutes an organized ongoing criminal enterprise.5This is the definition of a R.I.C.O. violation.6the justice dept is either inept or complicate in these affairs.7only with wide press coverage can thes things come out.8I'm at my wits end and need your help to be a whistleblower. John Buck formerly of Laborers Eastern Region Organizing Fund NYC,NJ,DEL L.I.U.N.A. strongbuck2003@yahoo.com