Breaking News: Hold Put On Form I-9 That Was to Take Effect Today

On Friday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) changed position and announced a hold on the use of the new Form I-9 that was supposed to be effective today, February 2, 2009. This shift regarding the Form I-9, the document employers must complete to verify work authorization for new employees, is part of the Obama administration's review of new regulations. (This review also has affected the new proposed E-Verify rules.)

USCIS also reopened the public comment period regarding the proposed Form I-9. Under the proposed interim rule, employers could no longer accept expired documents (including U.S. passports) to verify employment authorization on the Form I-9. (During the Bush administration, the USCIS had announced that the new form would be effective on February 2, 2009. As set forth in USCIS' Friday announcement, it will delay the rule changing the list of acceptable documents to verify employment eligibility.)

If you have questions regarding I-9 verification or reverification policies or any other work status or immigration related questions, Allen Matkins' employment group is available to assist.