Since November 1986, employers have had to complete Form I-9 for each employee hired. As of Friday, some important I-9 rules change.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has set Dec. 7 as the deadline for employers to begin using a new form (which actually carries a publication date of June 5, 2007).

Also on Friday, employers must be a bit more rigorous in the documentation they can accept from workers to verify legal residency or work status in the United States.

Here's the "List A" acceptable documents:

An unexpired or expired U.S. passport

An unexpired permanent resident card or alien registration receipt card (Form I-551; the so called "green card")

An unexpired foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp

An unexpired employment authorization document that has a photograph (Forms I-766, I-688, I-688A or I-688B)

An unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired arrival-departure record (Form I-94) "bearing the same name as the passport and containing an endorsement of the alien's nonimmigrant status, if that status authorizes the alien to work for the employer."

Whew! It's hard for employers to wade through the acceptable vs. unacceptable rules, much less become defacto immigration officers.

There is, of course, a new Handbook for Employers, Instructions for Completing the Form I-9, available online from the federal government via the www.uscis.gov site.

Several other previously acceptable documents have been removed from List A. Any confusion or questions: Call your employment law attorney or read the handbook.


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