ARTICLE:  I- 9 COMPLIANCE

Employers, Protect Your Business When Hiring Employees.

“Federal law requires every employer and agricultural recruiter/referrer-for-a-fee hiring an individual for employment in the United States to verify his or her identity and employment authorization through completion of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.” (source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)

You have worked hard, your business is growing and you need to hire an employee. Good for you! Well, I’d like to take a moment to talk about hiring employees and I-9 compliance.

I did a quick search on Google for I-9 compliance and came up with the following definition from Wikipedia: “The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 is a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services form. It is used by an employer to verify an employee's identity and to establish that the worker is eligible to accept employment in the United States”.

Okay, so what does that mean for the employer? Well it means that as an employer you are responsible to verify (and sometimes re verify) that your employees are who they say they are and that they are authorized to work legally in the United States. The I-9 form is used to document that all employees hired after November 6, 1986 are authorized to legally work in the U.S.

The I-9 is actually a 5 page document filled with detailed instructions on how to complete and file the I-9 form (including things that you CANNOT do). It’s not insurmountable by any means, but you do need to take the time to read and understand the document. If you don’t understand it, I encourage you to seek clarification. You can go directly to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services I-9 Central Home Page at:

http://www.uscis.gov/I-9Central

Simply click on any icon or go through all of them to help you better understand the I-9 and how and why it is used. If you would like to download a copy of the I-9 form and/or copy of the Handbook for Employers you can go to: http://www.uscis.gov/i-9

You have probably heard E-Verify referred to along with I-9. So what is E-Verify?  It’s an internet based system that is FREE to use. E-Verify will compare information from your I-9 form to data from the Dept. of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration regarding employment eligibility. While there are some employers that prefer to use private companies that provide E-Verification services and are very happy with them, it is important to know that it is an option, not a necessity.

Here’s a good link for more information on E-Verify: http://www.dhs.gov/e-verify

This page will provide you with information about what E-Verify is and how to use it. I encourage you to click on the section for employers in the left column menu. The menu also contains information about webinars on E-Verify. You can check back often as the E-Verify system is continually evolving.

Lastly I would encourage you to check the Employ Right website RESOURCES page at: http://www.employright.us/resources.php where you can find business information specific to your state.

It takes purpose, planning, dedication and hard work to make a successful business. Those same attributes should go into hiring legal employees. Federal Law requires employers complete the I-9 process for their employees. America’s work force and financial future depend on it.

Marilyn Stefanisko, President
Employ Right – America Certified Workforce
www.employright.us

I recently commented on this post here: http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=340741&fb_comment_id=fbc_10150352365342442_19667533_10150354575002442

America is being torn apart by illegal immigration. Here in Las Vegas, NV we have seen the end product of years of illegal immigration in the construction, hotel, restaurant, landscaping and domestic services industries just to name a few. Pushing for the cheapest labor has cost legal workers their jobs, their homes and driven our economy into the ground. Labor unions don't care about American workers anymore. It is sad that on a day when American laborers are to be celebrated, a local union in Wausau is excluding some of the very people they should be recognizing. I wonder how many illegal immigrants will be marching in that parade and how many locals watching the parade will have lost their jobs because of them?
Marilyn Stefanisko, President
Employ Right

Lawnman Landscaping, LLC: is a licensed and insured Landscaping and Home Improvement company, based out of West Haven,Connecticut. 

We are a family owned and operated business who cater to all types of clients.  We are a listed member of our local Better Business Bureau (B.B.B.), with a rating of "A" (no customer complaints filed).  This is a significant accomplishment for any company, and we owe this rating, partially on the fact that we stand by our work and workers and do not hire "illegal immigrants".  

We are I-9 compliant, and always will be.  As such, as a legal entity here in the State of Connecticut, we must pay our fair share of bills to keep our doors open. Here are some of the bills, as a business, that we are responsible to pay to stay in business:

Business License Fee (Yearly)

Snow Removal Insurance

Vehicle Insurance

Workers Compensation Insurance

General Liability InsuranceOverhead,

Rent,

Electric,

Internet (Both in house and online.)

(Note: Businesses who hire illegal immigrants, may not pay some or all of these bills.)

Not to mention, maintenance on office and vehicles, advertising costs, cleaning supplies, PAYROLL for Employees. 

We are disgusted that our Government at the Federal and Local levels, not enforcing the immigration and employment laws that already exist. Instead, their answer is to make more laws. This, in turn, is allowing more and more of an "influx of illegals", into our country.  Who gain employment (BEFORE) legal American Citizens can. Which is causing Big and Small businesses alike to file for bankruptcy and end up going out of business.  Good American Citizens, end up Unemployed and on the Welfare Rolls. 

This is why we will always support Employ Right and Marilyn Stefanisko, in all her endeavors. Thank you, Employ Right and Marilyn and Americans alike. 

Armand and Antoinette Serio, Owners, Lawnman Landscaping, LLC

http://www.lawnmanlandscaping.com/

ACW News: Edition #2

How about Bloomberg Businessweek’s 7/07/2011 Article: “How to Be a Patriot: Hire an Illegal Immigrant”

WHAT?? Have you checked this out?  If you already have, you know what I’m talking about.

The article is written by Charles Kenny who is a British development economist on leave from the World Bank and a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. He was born in Britain and lives in Washington DC, but hmmm, it is not known whether he’s a naturalized US citizen or not. As far as being a patriot, has he checked the definition?  I thought a patriot was someone who loved, supported and defended their country, yet this man found it necessary to write in defense of those who cross America’s borders illegally. So what country, if any, is he patriotic to?

Mr. Kenny’s July 7th article is subtitled with the following:

“Laws against illegal immigration make little economic or moral sense. So why punish the brave citizens who break them?”

I would preface to ask Mr. Kenny who the “brave citizens” are? Could he be referring to the individuals that are citizens of other countries and illegally crossing America’s borders? Or perhaps he is referring to greedy, self serving organizations that hire illegals for cheap wages and dodge tax responsibilities?

Kenny’s article goes on to state:

In the meantime, the millions of illegal immigrants already here must continue to live and work in the shadows, one false move away from arrest and deportation. Indeed, legislation in states such as Alabama and Georgia is moving toward treating not justillegal immigrants, but also those who employ them, as criminals. And yet if forced to do without illegal labor, vast sectors of the U.S. economy, from agriculture to construction, would founder—not to mention the putting greens infested by crab grass and the children who would run riot without care. Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports legalizing undocumented workers who are “already contributing to our economy,” provided they don’t otherwise run afoul of the law.

Does he mean that all of us silly Americans are incapable of overseeing our agriculture, constructing homes and buildings, maintaining our landscaping and caring for our children?  Honestly, how many Americans would prefer to have someone who broke the law to get into this country and has no documents to say who they are and where they came from watching their children! In my opinion, this article is a ridiculously ill thought out representation of those who do not fully consider the consequences of allowing America’s borders to be overtaken by droves people who are willing to break the law to get what they want.

And the article continued with:
But don’t immigrants take jobs from and depress the wages of unskilled, native-born workers? Actually, immigrants tend to leave when there are fewer jobs available—“.

So they LEAVE when there are no jobs or money for them? So much for idea that illegal immigrants just want to be Americans because they love America! They’re going to take off as soon as the money runs out and search for greener pastures.

This article goes on and on, but the reason I’m bringing attention to this article today is that it may, if nothing else, serve to wake those who try to act as if illegal immigration is not an issue in America.  The United States is in financial crisis. Millions of Americans are unemployed and Mr. Kenny thinks illegals should be given jobs in America? Sorry buddy, not in my America. You will not bleed my country dry and then move on. So to reply to Mr. Kenny’s article “Be a Patriot….” I will be a patriot, A BRAVE AMERICAN PATRIOT! Take a look at my ACW Logo. It says “America Certified Workforce”. If you don’t have your documents, if you are not I-9 compliant, you don’t work here!

Marilyn Stefanisko, President
Employ Right - America Certified Workforce

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