Pennsylvania has now joined the growing number of states that have passed E-Verify legislation. As Congress has failed to pass meaningful immigration reform, states have moved in to fill the void and the federal government has continued to expand worksite enforcement initiatives. Both states and the federal government have turned their focus on employers as the “root cause of illegal immigration.” In light of these developments, employers are well advised to adopt detailed worksite compliance programs.
E-Verify is an Internet-based Employment Eligibility Verification System run by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that allows employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees. E-Verify does not exempt employers from I-9 completion. On the federal level, E-Verify is voluntary except for certain federal contractors who are now required to use E-Verify if they have a qualifying contract. As explained below, many states now require E-Verify, and Pennsylvania is the latest state to follow this trend.
