Immigration Compliance: How to keep the Government from knocking on the Door?

Compliance Explained Simply to Corporate America - A webinar by Jon Velie, Velie Law Firm, and OnlineVisas.com

Immigration Compliance: How to keep the Government from knocking on the Door?

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Introductions

Mike Lengel, Marketing Coordinator– Ascentis Heather Bansemer, Marketing Manager, Ascentis y Asc e ntis o ff e rs e a sy-to-use hu m a n c a p it a l m a n a g e m e nt so ftw a r e

in c lu d in g Sa aS w e b-b a se s so lutio ns: HRIS, o n lin e p a yro ll, r e c ru itin g , se lf se rv i c e a n d tim e k e e p in g

y Alm ost 30 y e a rs in b usin e ss; 1,500 c usto m e rs a n d gro w in g

` Jon Velie, Attorney at Law Ń 17 y e a rs o f e xp e ri e n c e I m m i gr a tio n L a w , C orp or a t e L a w , a n d

Liti g a tio n . Ń Te stifi e d in c o urt a s e xp e rt o n im m i gr a tio n m a tt e rs. Ń Sp ok e n a t US C o n gr e ssio n a l a n d a g e n c y p a n e ls, US O p e n (Te nn is)

2010, G irl 2.0 Exp o in Sh a n g h a i, C h in a 2010, Sp orts L a w Asso c i a tio n Annu a l C o n f e r e n c e 2010, Asp e n Ski C o m p a ny , 2005-2009, Te lluri d e Ski C o m p a ny , 2010, Lu c e nt’s Be ll L a b or a tori e s 2002, a n d O kl a h o m a Un iv e rsity .

Ń Bri e f e d thr e e c a se s b e f or e th e U.S. Su pr e m e C o urt Ń F e a tur e d in nu m e ro us p u b li c a tio ns in c lu d in g th e N e w York Tim e s,

LA Tim e s, W a sh in gto n Post, C h i c a g o Tri b un e , Le M o n d e , a n d Lo n d o n Tim e s a n d f e a tur e d o n a se g m e nt o f C BS 60 M inut e s II.

About Our Speaker

RCH Credits APA and HRCI credits are still pending. • O n c e c re d its a r e a p p ro v e d , c e rtifi c a t es w ill b e p ro c esse d

To earn RCH you must: • St a y o n th e w e b in a r for th e fu ll 60 m inut es • Be w a t c h in g th e w e b in a r usin g yo ur un i q u e URL Certificates of Completion • W ill b e d e liv e r e d e l e c tro n i c a lly to e m a il th a t yo u use d to

r e g ist e r for th is w e b in a r • Se nt to yo u n o l a t e r 5p m PDT o n 09/06/2012

What you’ll learn: y O v e rv i e w o f Im m igr a tio n

C o m p li a n c e in th e w orkp l a c e : Ń I-9 c o m p li a n c e Ń Prose c utio n o f c o m p a n i es a n d

e m p lo y e es f or Im m igr a tio n C ri m es Ń C re a tin g a c o m p li a nt w orkp l a c e Ń Q u estio ns a n d a nsw e rs

Agenda

Who is I.C.E. ? • Th e Un it e d St a t e s I m m i gr a tio n a n d C usto ms En f or c e m e nt

(I C E) is th e inv e sti g a tiv e a rm o f th e D e p a rtm e nt o f Ho m e l a n d Se c urity (DHS).

• Form e d in th e w a k e o f 9 /11 a s p a rt o f a m a ssiv e r e org a n iz a tio n c a m p a i g n d e si g n e d to prot e c t th e c o untry fro m futur e a tt a c ks.

• I C E a g e nts h a v e a w i d e v a ri e ty o f d uti e s un d e r th e l a w , a n d th e y c a n b e f o un d se rv in g in a n a ssortm e nt o f lo c a tio ns a ro un d th e w orld .

• O n e a sp e c t o f its pr a c ti c e is to a u d it U.S. e m p loy e rs, a n d th e ir e m p loy e e s, thro u g h I-9 inv e sti g a tio ns.

A brief history

I C E’s w orksit e e nf orc e m e nt nu m b e rs

h a v e c lim b e d to h istori c h i g hs w ith re c ord b re a kin g nu m b e rs o f I-9 a u d its, fin es a n d in c re a se d c ri m in a l p rose c utio n o f e m p lo y e rs.

A brief history

Be tw e e n 01/09 a n d 10/10, I C E c o n d u c t e d I-9 a u d its o f m ore th a n 3,200 US e m p lo y e rs resu ltin g in d e b a rm e nt o f 225 c o m p a n i es a n d in d iv id u a ls fro m d o in g b usin ess w ith th e f e d e r a l g o v e rn m e nt a n d i m p ose d a p p roxi m a t e ly $50 m illio n in s a n c tio ns.

–ICE announcement 10 /31 /11

I C E h a s re c e ntly a nn o un c e d th e ir e nf orc e m e nt re l a t e d st a tisti c s in th e a re a o f I-9 c o m p li a n c e f or 2011, a s f o llo ws: y 2,496 I-9 a u d its w e re c o n d u c t e d y 3,291 w orksit e e nf orc e m e nt c a ses w e re

in iti a t e d y C ri m in a lly a rrest e d 221 e m p lo y e rs y Issu e d 385 Fin a l O rd e rs f or $10.4+ m illio n in

fin es; a n d y D e b a rre d 115 in d iv id u a ls a n d 97

b usin esses

What is the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Law?

Ill e g a l Re form a n d C o ntro l A c t o f 1986 (IR C A) re q u ires e m p l oy e rs to v e rify: Work a uth oriz a tio n I d e ntiti es o f a ll n e w e m p l oy e es w ith in 3 d a ys o f h ire

I-9 – Employee Section New hire fills out part 1. If translator is needed he/she fills out translation certification portion.

I-9: Employer Section New hire presents documents from lists A or Band C.

I-9: Acceptable Documents

I-9 Issues • Hirin g p e rso nn e l m ust d e te rm in e w h e th e r th e

d o c u m e nts a p p e a r to b e “ g e nu in e .” • A c o m p a ny m a y k e e p or n ot k e e p c o p i es o f

th e d o c u m e nts. But it m ust b e c o nsist e nt. • Hirin g p e rso nn e l m ust b e kn o w l e d g a b ly o f n e w

h ires priv a c y rig hts. • V io l a tin g priv a c y rig hts m a y su b j e c t e m p l oy e r

to l a wsu it

y C o m p l a ints to Im m igr a tio ns a n d C usto ms

En forc e m e nt (I C E), D e p a rtm e nt o f La b or (D O L) or O ffi c e o f Sp e c i a l C o unse l ( O S C )

y In d e p e n d e nt inv estig a tio ns b y I C E, D O L, or O S C y N a tio n a l se c urity c o n c e rns y Busin esses p e rc e iv e d to e m p l oy un d o c u m e nte d

a li e ns y Ra n d o m a u d its

Triggers for an I-9 Investigation

y F a ilin g to c o m p l e t e or in c orre c tly

c o m p l e tin g I-9 re c ords

y Kn o w in g ly h irin g or c o ntinu in g to e m p lo y a n un a uth orize d a li e n

When an I-9 Violation Occurs

y To e m p loy a w ork e r th a t e m p loy e r kn o ws is n ot a uth orize d to w ork in th e U.S.

y Kn o w l e d g e in c lu d es b oth a c tu a l kn o w l e d g e a s w e ll a s c o nstru c tiv e kn o w l e d g e th a t c a n b e in f e rr e d thro u g h sp e c ifi c f a c ts or c irc u mst a n c e s

y Pro p e rly c o m p l e tin g a n I-9 d o es n ot a bso lv e e m p loy e r fro m li a b ility if e m p loy e r kn o ws w ork e r is n ot a uth orize d

What Constitutes “Knowingly” Hiring or Employing an Unauthorized Alien

Social Security Mismatch Letters: “Constructive Knowledge”

• Wh e n e m p l oy e r g e ts o n e : M ism a tc h b e tw e e n e m p l oy e r a n d SSA d a t a

• Wh a t it m e a ns: N ot a p e r se st a te m e nt a b o ut im m igr a tio n st a tus

• Ho w e m p l oy e rs sh o u l d d e a l w ith th e m: A c t q u i c kly a n d fo ll o w pro c e d ure . F a ilure to fo ll o w priv a c y rig hts o f e m p l oy e e is a v io l a tio n o f re g u l a tio n a n d m a y su b j e c t yo u to fin es or l a wsu it

Within 30 days of receipt of a no match letter: 1. C h e c k f or c l e ri c a l e rrors A . C h e c k f or p e rso nn e l a n d p a yro ll r e c ords to d e t e rm in e w h e th e r

th e m ism a t c h d isc r e p a n c y B. If y e s, fil e n e w W-2 w ith SSA . Use SSN VS to v e rify it w a s a c c e p t e d . C . M a k e a r e c ord o f th e m a nn e r, d a t e a n d tim e th a t th e c orr e c t e d

in f orm a tio n w a s v e rifi e d w ith SSA a n d r e tr a in th e r e c ord w ith th e e m p loy e e 's I-9 f orm .

2. C h e c k w ith e m p loy e e to e nsur e th a t h is or h e r so c i a l se c urity nu m b e r in f o is c orr e c t. D e t e rm in e if d isc r e p a n c y is r e su lt o f c l e ri c a l e rror; in f orm So c i a l Se c urity .

ICE’s “Safe Harbor” Procedures

ICE’s “Safe Harbor” Rule: SSA Mismatch Letters (Cont’d)

Within 60 days of receipt: y If issu e is n ot r e so lv e d , c o m p l e t e a n e w Form I-9, e xc e p t e m p loy e e

m a y n ot pro v e i d e ntity or w ork a uth oriz a tio n b y pr e se ntin g a d o c u m e nt th a t c o nt a ins th e “susp e c t” nu m b e r.

y C o m p l e t e Form I-9 w ith in 3 d a ys o f th e 60th d a y o f r e c e i p t o f SSA n oti c e .

y If e m p loy e e is un a b l e to pro d u c e a p pro pri a t e d o c u m e nt a tio n to s a tisfy I-9 r e q u ir e m e nts, e m p loy e r must t a k e a c tio n or risk d e t e rm in a tio n b y I C E th a t e m p loy e r h a d c o nstru c tiv e kn o w l e d g e .

Unresolved Questions : ICE’s “Safe Harbor” Rule

y D o e s e m p loy e r h a v e o b lig a tio n to inv e stig a t e w h e n e m p loy e e r eso lv e s d isc re p a n c y b y p ro d u c in g n e w SSN th a t is d iff e r e nt fro m p rior nu m b e r?

y Wh a t d o e s e m p loy e r d o w h e n e m p loy e e , w h o is th e su b j e c t o f re c urrin g n o-m a t c h l e tt e rs, p ro c ures a d iff e re nt nu m b e r y e a r a ft e r y e a r in r esp o nse to e m p loy e r’s re q u e st t o r e c tify d isc r e p a n c y?

y Ho w d o es e m p loy e r re-v e rify a n e m p loy e e w h o d i d n ot use a “susp e c t” SSN w h e n h e or sh e in iti a lly c o m p l e t e d Form I-9?

y In A p ril 2009, DHS issu e d n e w g u i d e lin es a n d r e g u l a tio ns th a t a r e in c r e a sin g a tt e ntio n a n d r e so ur c es o n p ros e c utin g e m p loy e rs w h o v io l a t e o ur n a tio n ’s im m igr a tio n l a ws.

y I C E’s h ig h e st p riority is o n th e c rim in a l p rose c utio n o f e m p loy e rs w h o kn o w in g ly h ir e un d o c u m e nt e d w ork e rs, a b us e a n d exp lo it th e ir w ork e rs, e n g a g e in th e sm u g g lin g or tr a ffi c kin g o f th e ir a li e n w orkf or c e , or f a c ilit a t e d o c u m e nt or b e n e fit fr a u d . Th e a g e n c y ’s e ff orts a lso in c lu d e i d e ntify in g , inv e stig a tin g , a n d p e n a lizin g e m p loy e rs w h o e n g a g e in v is a or l a b or c e rtifi c a tio n fr a u d . In a d d itio n to e nf or c e m e nt e ff orts, h o w e v e r, I C E is p ro v i d in g c o m p li a n c e to o ls to a ssist e m p loy e rs in d e t e rm in in g th e e lig i b ility o f th e ir e m p loy e es to w ork in th e U.S.

Immigration Crimes

Jo hn M orto n , D ire c tor o f th e U.S. Im m igr a tio n a n d C usto ms En forc e m e nt (I C E) re p ort e d resu lts for 2010. M orto n s a id th a t in 2010, I C E a rrest e d 195 e m p l oy e rs for c rim in a l w orksit e im m igr a tio n v io l a tio ns. Un d e r th e A pril 30, 2009 I C E En forc e m e nt M e m o , t a rg e te d e m p l oy e rs a re d e fin e d a s “ o w n e rs, c orp or a te m a n a g e rs, su p e rv isors,” a n d “so m e o n e inv o lv e d in th e h irin g or m a n a g e m e nt o f e m p l oy e es. Th is in c lu d es o w n e rs, C E O s, su p e rv isors, m a n a g e rs, a n d oth e r o c c u p a tio n a l titl es.”

Immigration Crimes

y Re c e nt r a ids a n d e n forc e m e nts a c tio ns t a rg e tin g e m p l oy e rs d e e m e d to b e h a rb orin g or sm u g g lin g un d o c u m e nte d a li e ns

y H a rb orin g m a y in c lu d e pro v id in g tr a nsp ort a tio n ,

sh e lt e r, or a ssist a n c e in o b t a in in g e m p l oym e nt if e m p l oy e r kn o ws or sh o u l d kn o w th e w ork e r is un d o c u m e nte d

Harboring Undocumented Aliens

y First offense: C iv il fin e o f $275 to $2,200 for e a c h

w ork e r y Second offense: C iv il fin e o f $2,200 to $5,500 for

e a c h w ork e r y Third or more offense: $3,300 to $11,000 for e a c h

w ork e r Pattern and practice: fin es o f u p to $3,000 for e a c h w ork e r a n d / or im p riso n m e nt o f u p to 6 m o nths

Penalties for Knowingly Hiring or Continuing to Employ Unauthorized

Aliens

Penalties for Harboring of Undocumented Aliens

y F orf e iture o f b usin ess a sse ts

y Im p riso n m e nt o f u p to 10 y e a rs

y Fin es o f u p to $250,000

Creating and maintaining a compliant environment

y If yo u d o n ot h a v e a n HR so ftw a re syst e m , m a int a in I-9 n ot e b o ok o f c urre nt e m p loy e es, d o n ot in c lu d e in p e rso nn e l fil e

y M a int a in t e rm e d e m p loy e es for thre e y e a rs or o n e y e a r a ft e r th e d a t e o f e m p loym e nt , w h i c h e v e r is l a t e r

y C o n d u c t int e rn a l a u d its o f I-9’s re g u l a rly y Use HR So ftw a r e th a t a uto m a ti c a lly p ro c e sses a n d

st or es I-9’s y Use HR So ftw a r e th a t use s E-v e rify y SSN VS y IM A G E Pro gr a m

Questions?

Ascentis Software Helps Companies Be I-9 Compliant

y A uto m a tes e m p l oy e e d a t a d urin g th e o n b o a rd in g pro c ess – in c lu d e th e c o m p l e tio n o f I-9’s.

y A l e rts HR m a n a g e rs th a t forms a re c o m p l e te so th e y c a n m e e t e m p l oy e e in p e rso n for I-9 id e ntifi c a tio n pro c essin g a n d w itn essin g o f sig n a ture .

y Stores I-9 d a t a e l e c tro n i c a lly , in c lu d in g tim e / d a te sig n a ture .

y Inte gr a tio n o f E-V e rify

Once approved by HRCI and the APA: • D e liv e re d to th ose a tt e n d e es w h o st a y for fu ll

w e b in a r • W ill b e d e liv e re d e l e c tro n i c a lly to e m a il th a t

yo u use d to re g ist e r for th is w e b in a r • Se nt to yo u n o l a te r 5p m PDT Se p te m b e r 6th

Certificates of Completion

Archived on our website: Just c li c k o n reso urc es, th e n 2012 w e b in a rs: Pi c k yo ur titl e v i e w th e re c ord in g d o w n l o a d th e PDF

View this webinar again

Sustainability for the HR Leader (RCH 1.0 - HRCI - PENDING) Aug. 9, 10am PDT EVerify: Getting Started (RCH 1.0 APA - HRCI CREDITS PENDING) Aug. 16, 10am PDT W-2’s vs. 1099’s: Who Should be an Independent Contractor (RCH 1.0 APA - PENDING) Aug. 21, 10am PDT Good Beginnings Make Good Employees: Legal & Effective New Employee Orientations (RCH 1.0 HRCI) Aug. 23, 10am PDT

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