Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)

All employers must verify the identity and employment authorization of every individual hired after November 6, 1986, by completing Form I-9. Employees must present acceptable documents establishing identity and employment authorization within three business days of their start date.

Employers must examine the documents and determine whether they reasonably appear to be genuine. Employers may not specify which acceptable documents an employee must present. I-9 forms must be retained for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date of termination, whichever is later. E-Verify is mandatory for federal contractors.