Articles and Blogs

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will begin accepting cap-subject H-1B petitions on April 1, 2014 for Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2015.  Employers should be aware of this fast-approaching deadline to maximize the possibility of obtaining H-1B spots for foreign national employees.  READ MORE

E-Verify Is Down, but I-9s Are Up Employers who attempted to access E-Verify during the week of October 2 were stopped by the following error message: “E-Verify is currently unavailable due to a government shutdown.”  This error message raised several questions for employers, specifically whether Form I-9 requirements were suspended as well.  This concern... READ MORE

On March 8, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released the long-awaited new Form I-9 for employers.  The new form is available here and features a newly-designed layout, more detailed instructions and additional data fields for completion.  Employers should begin using the new form immediately. Here is what’s new: READ MORE

A new Form I-9 was issued by USCIS yesterday, March 8, 2013.  The newly revised Form I-9 includes additional data fields, improved instructions and a new layout that expands the form to two pages.  Employers should begin using the new Form I-9 now.  However, there will be a 60-day grace period until May 7, 2013,... READ MORE

President Barack Obama recently signed legislation that extended several immigration programs, including the E-Verify service and the Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver (“Conrad 30”) Program. This recent legislation does not change the E-Verify service or the Conrad 30 Program requirements—it merely extends the programs, both of which were originally set to expire on... READ MORE

The Seventh Circuit, which covers Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, recently ruled that a bank’s alleged bias against one of its managers based on the immigration status of the manager’s husband is not actionable under Title VII.  (In other words, Title VII doesn’t cover discrimination based on immigration or citizenship status.)  In affirming the lower... READ MORE

The employer hears a knock at the door.  Surprise!  ICE is on the other side to serve the employer with a Notice of Inspection to audit Forms I-9.  Of course, the employer repeats the ever-popular phrase, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” but what happens next?  Thoughts may be racing through the employer’s mind such... READ MORE