E-Verify Improvements Released, Employer Suggestions Implemented

Author: Melissa A. Silver, XpertHR Legal Editor

June 24, 2014

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released three new enhancements to E-Verify, the program that allows employers to electronically verify the information provided by new hires on the Form I-9. Two of these enhancements were created as a result of suggestions submitted by employers on E-Verify Listens. E-Verify Listens is a web-based forum that provides individuals with an opportunity to discuss and submit ideas on how E-Verify may be improved.

According to the USCIS the following improvements are now available:

  • E-Verify now has the ability to identify duplicate cases and will alert users with its new pop-up feature if a case contains the same Social Security Number as a previous case entered by the same employer within the last 30 days.
  • The Further Action Notices for web service users will no longer be pre-populated. Going forward, an employer will be required to fill in the blank field by providing the name of the employer representative who initiated the case. This field may be completed electronically or manually.
  • E-Verify users will now be prompted to validate or update their email address and phone number when their password expires every 90 days.

The USCIS continually enhances the E-Verify system. Examples of USCIS's improvements to E-Verify in the last year include the following:

  • Releasing revised Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for E-Verify browser users and new MOUs for users accessing E-Verify through web services, which are customized to each type of E-Verify access method and are simpler to read and understand.
  • Instituting security measures to help prevent identity fraud during the E-Verify process.
  • Streamlining the E-Verify process by combining and replacing the Tentative Nonconfirmation Notice and referral into one document entitled a Further Action Notice.
  • Updating the Further Action Notice, which includes information for employees on correcting immigration records once a tentative nonconfirmation notice has been resolved.
  • Releasing a fact sheet for employees that includes the actions an employee should take to correct his or her immigration records.