On March 17, 2010, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced three initiatives it will take to strengthen the efficiency and accuracy of the E-Verify system.
E-Verify is a Web-based system — operated in partnership by USCIS and the Social Security Administration — that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly-hired employees.
The three initiatives include: a new agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) streamlining the adjudication process in cases of E-Verify misuse and discrimination; an informational telephone hotline for employees to provide a better customer experience; and two new training videos, in English and Spanish, focused on E-Verify procedures and policies, employee rights and employer responsibilities.
The USCIS and DOJ agreement establishes a streamlined process for addressing potential cases of discrimination and employer misuse of E-Verify, and a protocol between USCIS and DOJ for referring matters within the agencies’ respective jurisdictions.
Additionally, the USCIS E-Verify help line will now offer employees information about the E-Verify process and assistance in completing the Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). Callers can also file complaints about possible discrimination or employer misuse of the E-Verify program. The hotline number is (888) 897-7781 and will be active beginning April 5, 2010.
The new videos are viewable at:
www.dhs.gov/e-verify and www.youtube.com/ushomelandsecurity.
Information for this article was obtained from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' Web site at www.uscis.gov.
