These days, there are several different products on the market that help companies bridge the gap between themselves and their New Hires through I-9 Verifications. Typically, these Verifications are geared towards companies that hire remote workers, allowing them to quickly onboard new talent.
Sure, businesses could use E-Verify and complete I-9 Verifications for their remote employees for free. Owing to recent changes in I-9 requirements, this is permissible, yes, but it is not an ideal solution for many different types of business.
This is because HR teams, particularly at larger companies with high turnover, can get bogged down in this compliance process, keeping them from prioritizing other initiatives. Furthermore, the opportunities for error and consequential punitive action are higher among an overburdened HR team.
For these reasons, companies often look to outsource their I-9 Verifications, leading them to a choice between Remote I-9 Verifications and Virtual I-9 Verifications.
But what is the difference between a remote and Virtual I-9 Verification? While both are entirely compliant with federal requirements, one key difference distinguishes them.
With the run-of-the-mill Remote I-9 Verification, New Hires meet an Authorized Representative in person to complete Section 2 of the I-9 together. This means that an in-person appointment must be scheduled, and, in many cases, it is the New Hire’s responsibility to find the Authorized Representative in the first place.
This is quite different from a Virtual I-9 Verification, in which the New Hire meets virtually over a conference platform like FaceTime or Teams. This is much easier on the New Hire, who simply logs into a video chat platform and completes Section 2 of the I-9 with the Verification Specialist.
The advantages of Virtual Verifications should be obvious—they are easier to schedule, faster to complete, and can be turned around much faster than typical Remote I-9 Verifications.
This is why TrendSource pioneered Virtual I-9 Verifications, to offer a relatively easier, more cost-effective means of outsourcing employee eligibility verification. Notably, because TrendSource uses in-house Verification Specialists, New Hires need never worry about finding a third-party to verify their documentation.
Learn more about TrendSource I-9 Virtual Verifications.