Legal experts are warning businesses employing immigrant workers to make sure their paperwork is up to date and correctly filled out. This comes as more companies are being audited.
The I-9 form verifies the identity and authorization of employees working in the United States.
Now, authorities require employers fill out a new version of that form starting Sept. 18.
"This change came sort of out of the blue," Julie Pace, Phoenix lawyer with Cavanagh Law Firm, said. "So there wasn't a lot of notice."
Pace specializes in workplace law and said employers shouldn't re-do their current I-9s but should double-check the forms are accurate in case of costly audits.
"There have been more I-9 audits and I believe it's a function of the new administration and their focus on ensuring compliance with I-9 and also their focus on restriction immigration."
The new form includes several wording changes. Pace said I-9 penalties are also going up, almost doubling the minimum fine for a first offense.
If I-9 forms aren't correctly filled out, penalties can reach up to four thousand dollars on the first offense.
"There's no I-9 that expired, it's just published, and they have to continue to audit their I-9s, pay attention to their I-9 compliance training and strategies and use the correct I-9 or that can result in real fines."
Pace said employers should also use the new form when correcting and auditing their current paperwork.
