The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced temporary flexibility in compliance with Form I-9 requirements during remote on-boarding. The article link below gives specific info on how employers with remote employees can obtain, remotely inspect, and comply with Section 2 of Form I-9.

Here’s a quick read on the latest developments:

1. The in-person requirement for the Form I-9 is temporarily suspended for companies closed or working remotely due to COVID-19. Employers will not be required to review employee identity and related documents in the employee’s physical presence. Instead, inspection of Section 2 documents will take place remotely (e.g., over video link, fax or email, etc.).
2. Employers must still create a case in E-Verify within three business days from the date of hire. “COVID-19” is entered as the reason for the physical inspection delay in the Section 2 Additional Information field once physical inspection takes place after normal operations resume.
3. Once the documents have been physically inspected, the employer should add “documents physically examined” with the date of inspection to the Section 2 additional information field on the Form I-9, or to section 3 as appropriate.
4. Once normal operations resume, all employees on-boarded using remote verification must—within three business days—complete in-person verification of identity and employment eligibility documentation for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

For your reference, here is further detail. PLEASE READ MORE. Drop an email to support@acheckglobal.com if you have any questions.