As most human resources professionals know, the Immigration Reform and Control Act requires all employers to verify the identity and employment authorization of each person working in the United States who was hired after Nov. 6, 1986. This verification process is documented by completing and retaining USCIS Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for each employee who is hired to work in the United States. The form can be complicated to complete, and it is important for employers to follow the guidelines published by USCIS, which can be found at: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/handbook-employers-m-274.

The new employee completes Section 1 of the form, and the employer inspects furnished identification documents and completes Section 2 of the form. The completed form is then retained in the company’s records. Although employees are responsible for completing Section 1, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure all required fields are properly completed.

How does an employee properly complete Section 1 and what common mistakes should I look out for?

The employee must complete all required fields in Section 1:

1. Name, including other names used;
2. Address; and
3. Date of birth.

The following fields in Section 1 are optional:

1. Social Security number: this field is voluntary unless the employer participates in the E-verify program. If the employer participates in the E-verify program, the employee must provide their number but does not need to produce the social...

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