VIDEO: Quick Guide to Easily Complete the I-9 Form | Common Questions Part 2

Hey, it’s Justin Fraction with TechnologyAdvice, and welcome to part two of our two-part series on the I-9 form. In part one, we covered what the I-9 form is and how to fill it out. If you missed it, you can check it out here. In this video, I’ll be focusing on some of your most frequently asked questions about the I-9 form. That way, you’ll be able to use this guide to help you understand some of the more unique problems you can encounter when filling out the form and how to avoid them.

So let's get started! Question one: What is the difference between the 2019 and 2023 I-9 forms? If you were paying close attention to part one, you might've heard me mention that the I-9 form was just updated on August 1, 2023. Before that, employers had to use the 2019 I-9 version. The new 2023 I-9 form sees some of the most significant formatting changes in years. The main difference is that the new I-9 is one page instead of two. The Preparer/Translator Certification and Reverification and Rehire areas also have their own supplement pages.

You'll also notice a little checkbox in the Additional Information area of Section 2 regarding DHS-authorized alternative procedures that is missing from the 2019 version. But, we'll get to that later! For now, off to question two! Question two: What is E-Verify, and how is it different from the I-9 form? E-Verify is a voluntary service that uses USCIS and Social Security Administration records to verify employee I-9 documents. With E-Verify, you still have to complete an I-9 form for each new hire.

It is also stricter about what documents new hires can provide to check employment eligibility. But it can help you ensure that I-9 documents are valid and not fraudulent. To enroll in E-Verify, you can visit their website here. Question three: Can I check I-9 documents remotely? Remember when I mentioned that little checkbox in the Additional Information area of Section 2? Well, this is the box you check to indicate you inspected employees' I-9 documents remotely.

But hold your horses — remotely checking I-9 documents comes with a major caveat. You or your authorized representative can only check I-9 documents if you are an employer in good standing and use E-Verify. If you don't, then you must still physically examine I-9 documents. So, let's say you're not enrolled in E-Verify and your workforce is remote. What do you do? Well, you've got a few options: Meet remote workers at an onsite location to check their documents.

Designate a remote worker as your authorized representative in the same area as your new hire and have them verify documents. Use a legal representative in the same area as the new hire to inspect documents. There's also a lot of onboarding software and services you can take advantage of. For instance, I'm particularly fond of WorkBright. It lets your remote new hires pick who will act as your authorized representative and physically examine documents.

And, to prevent errors in the process, WorkBright walks them through how to complete Section 2. Next, question four: Can I accept an identification receipt for an I-9 document? Yep — just remember to refer to the 2023 version of the I-9's Lists of Acceptable Documents. There, you can see what kind of receipts are acceptable. If an employee presents you with a document receipt, they have 90 days from their hire date to provide you with their new I-9 identification.

You'll also have to record the permanent document in the Additional Information area of Section 2 and initial and date the change. And finally, question five. Actually, just kidding. This is the lightning round. Here are a few remaining questions and quick answers. Do employees' current addresses have to match what's on their I-9 identifications? Nope! As long as their documents are valid (not expired) and appear genuine, the address on their I-9 form and identifications do not have to match.

What if an I-9 identification does not have an expiration date? Some documents, like birth certificates, don't have expiration dates, and that's okay. You can leave the expiration date fields blank in Section 2 or write "N/A." Of course, if a document should have an expiration date, like a driver's license, but doesn't, ask the new hire to provide a different document for inspection. What if I suspect an I-9 identification is fraudulent? You don't have to be a document expert but do carefully check names, document numbers, photos, and expiration dates.

If you have a genuine reason to believe the ID is fake, you can reject it and ask for the new hire to provide a different, valid document instead. For specific situations, you may want to consult an employment law or immigration attorney. Well, that wraps up part two of our I-9 series. For more information on the I-9, visit TechnologyAdvice.com to read our full article. And while you're at it, check out our complete list of HR software videos for overviews of the best options to manage your workforce. Till next time, see you guys!