Florida has enacted legislation (Senate Bill 1718) that requires employers with 25 or more employees to use E-Verify to confirm a new hire is eligible to work in the United States. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2023.
What is E-Verify?
E-Verify is a federal, internet-based program which validates that an individual is authorized to work in the United States. An employer inputs the information from the new hires I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Form.
Enrollment
If you have not used E-Verify before, your company will need to create an account HERE. The site provides a checklist for items to gather prior to enrollment and will guide you through the setup. Once enrolled, employers can simply log in to complete the employment verification each time a new employee is hired.
Requirements / Record keeping
Employers have 3 days after the first day a new hire begins work to create a case in E-Verify to confirm the employee’s employment eligibility. Employers must retain a copy of the documentation provided from E-Verify for at least 3 years.
Employers that are required to use E-Verify must also certify on their first return each calendar year to the state’s tax service provider that they are following the requirement when making contributions to or reimbursing the state’s unemployment compensation or reemployment assistance system.
Next Steps for Covered Florida Employers
- Review procedures to ensure compliance with Senate Bill 1718
- Enroll and start using E-Verify by July 1, 2023
- Retain E-Verify records and Post required E-Verify Posters
- Employer Resources (e-verify.gov)
