Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

The Top 5 Mistakes Employers Make on Form I-9 and How to Avoid Them

Form I-9 is a crucial document that employers must fill out for each employee to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

It is important to get the documentation right and not refuse eligible documents from team members, as it could lead to legal and financial consequences for the employer.

In the While We Were Working Segment, Sommer and I discuss a recent news article that reported a Hooters Franchise recently settled with the DOJ after it refused a worker's I-9 documentation.

By law, employers must ensure that all employees, including U.S. citizens and non-citizens, are authorized to work in the United States. Form I-9 is used to verify an employee's identity and eligibility to work in the country. Employers are required to complete and retain this form for each employee.

Employers should not refuse eligible documents from team members as it could be seen as discrimination and result in legal repercussions. However, employers must ensure that the documents presented by the employee are genuine and belong to them.

Employers must also complete Form I-9 within the required timeframe and ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in fines and penalties for the employer.

In the Consultants Corner, we explore the top reasons why employees quit their jobs.

It is important for employers to understand these reasons if they are to improve employee retention and workplace culture.

Conducting satisfaction surveys and exit interviews can help employers understand why employees are leaving and identify areas for improvement.

Satisfaction surveys can be used to gather employee feedback about their experiences working for the company, while exit interviews can be used to gather feedback from employees who are leaving.

Tune in to this episode and get some helpful tips on being a better leader for your team!

Key Takeaways

- Which documents should an employer ask for (03:47)

- Common mistakes with I-9s (07:22)

- Double-check before declining any documentation (11:07)

- Timeframe for completing I-9 (12:49)

- Check out for expired documents (15:01)

- The top reasons why employees quit (19:11)

- Value of satisfaction surveys and exit interviews (32:48)

Additional Resources

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