The Department of Homeland Security is currently considering changes to the I-9 Verification process. Chief among these proposed changes is the removal of in-person requirements for Section 2. Under the new system, New Hires would be permitted to show their identification documents in a video conference platform like Zoom or FaceTime. No in-person inspection of the documents, then, would be required for employers.
While, on the surface, this appears a reasonable response to the remote work era, we believe it is ultimately a mistake to suspend in-person verification. This is especially true since the proposed changes do not come with any proposed shifts to DHS expectations and punitive actions.
In a nutshell, the opportunities for fraud are much greater while the penalties employers face for such fraud has stayed the same.
We understand the need for a more agile verification process for employers in the remote era where in-person on-boarding is not as practical as it used to be.
At the same time, working in compliance and verification for over a decade, we have seen a lot of potential violations almost sneak their way through the verification cracks. For example, we’ve seen new hires utilize photocopies of birth certificates that are not certified. We’ve seen passports with the expiration dates intentionally obscured. We’ve even seen Photoshopped documents (some more convincing than others) and intentionally altered ones.
These concerns are all much more pronounced if virtual verification is permitted. An in-person process is simply more robust and more likely to catch such fraudulent efforts.
And, as we understand it, DHS will not be any easier on violations that happened over video conferencing platforms—a violation is a violation, either way. With so much potential for fraud, it does not seem prudent to jettison the in-person requirements for I-9s. Business leaders should not welcome the risks that come with video conference verifications.
That said, companies like TrendSource have already solved for this problem, offering Remote I-9 Verifications anywhere in the United States. TrendSource has trained Field Agents around the country who can schedule to meet remote New Hires wherever they reside and quickly and accurately complete Section 2 in person.
This really is the best of both worlds—the certainty of in-person verification coupled with the convenience of a remote fleet of verification specialists. Companies can already quickly and compliantly onboard their New Hires with such services.
Rather than assuming a greater risk profile for a bit of convenience, businesses should pay for in-person Verifications for their remote employees utilizing TrendSource’s vast agent network, its industry experience, and digital infrastructure.
Learn more about TrendSource Remote I-9 Verifications.