What is the I-9 Form?

Talking about the I-9 form can lead to anxiety for many employees. You may have heard about huge fines or potential jail time for making a mistake, or perhaps you’ve been told that non-citizens can’t complete any I-9 documents. Don’t worry; it’s actually quite simple to finish your pre-employment paperwork, and the fines and jail time are for employers who systematically lie to the federal government about their employees. You can learn everything you need to know about I-9 forms just by reading this short article.

Can I Find a Job Without Completing Any I-9 Forms?

Every employer in the United States is required to collect and store I-9 forms for their employees. You can find jobs that don’t require proof of citizenship or identity, but you may not want to work for those employers. They likely will not pay Social Security or payroll taxes for you, probably won’t offer health insurance or workman’s compensation to cover injuries and may treat you unfairly. These types of under-the-table jobs are most common in construction, manual labor and the restaurant industry. They offer quick cash with limited questions but aren’t a good option for long-term career stability.

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What Documents Do I Need to Be Legally Hired?

The federal government requires employees to complete I-9 paperwork to prove both their identity and their legal right to work in the United States. This means you’ll need documents that can establish both of these facts. The most common way to prove your identity is to bring an official driver’s license, but you can also use a military I.D. card, voter registration document, school identification card or a government-issued I.D. for non-drivers. You can demonstrate your right to work in the United States in two ways. Most employees show their American citizenship, which automatically makes them eligible to work in the U.S., by bringing a birth certificate, Social Security card or N-560 or N-561 Certificate of Citizenship. If you’re not an American citizen, you could show proof of naturalization, Native American tribal identity or employment authorization from the Department of Homeland Security.

If you don’t want to haul multiple sensitive papers to your first day of employment, you can use alternatives for filling out your I-9 document. If your employer has enrolled in the E-Verify service offered by the federal government, you can complete your I-9 information online from your home. Another option is to bring a single document that shows who you are and your eligibility to work in the U.S. This could be a passport, Permanent Resident Card or certain documents from foreign governments.

How Do I Fill out an I-9 Form?

Once you’ve been hired by an employer who follow federal law and gathered your necessary documents, completing the I-9 paperwork is fairly simple. Because collecting and storing I-9 documents is your employer’s responsibility, they should help you fill out the form correctly. The papers also come with instructions on how to complete them; for the most part, you simply copy information from your personal documents onto the form.

Pre-employment paperwork is important for keeping your company honest and ensuring your taxes are accurate. By completing an I-9 form correctly with the instructions from this article, you ensure you’ll get the employment protection you deserve.