As a business owner, completing the correct paperwork for your employees is an essential responsibility. These documents help protect your business and staff and ensure legal compliance.
One of the forms you must complete for all employees is form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
What is the purpose of Form I-9?
On Form I-9, the employee attests that he or she may legally work in the United States in exchange for wages or remuneration. Remuneration is any form of non-monetary compensation for work, such as room and board.
The form also details what documents the employer may use to verify identity and eligibility and provides a place to record these documents.
Do all employees need Form I-9?
Employees must fill out the form regardless of whether or not they are U.S. citizens. Most employees must complete the form at the time their employment begins.
There are a few exceptions. You do not need to complete Form I-9 for independent contractors or people employed by a contractor providing services to you, such as a temp agency. You do not need to complete the form for employees working outside the U.S.
Employees your company hired before November 7, 1986, do not need to fill out Form I-9. If your business is located in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, you do not need Form I-9 for employees hired before November 28, 2009.
You do not need to complete Form I-9 for casual domestic employees. This includes people you hire to do domestic tasks in your private home on an irregular basis, such as a neighbor who babysits your children occasionally.
As an employer, it is important to provide the proper documentation for your employees.
