The E-Verify Self Check system we reported on a couple of weeks ago has now been launched, but only for users in specific states.

E-Verify Self Check gives individuals the ability to check their own employment eligibility status and fix any problems before potential employers run them through E-Verify.  E-Verify is an online, federal system which checks information from an employee's I-9 against records from the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security to verify their eligibility to work in the United States.  

The Self Check option is now available to users who maintain addresses in Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Mississippi, Virginia, or Washington D.C.  After the initial release and review of the service, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to extend its release and hopes to have it available nationwide within 12 months.

If you have contract candidates in one of those states, you may want to let them know about this option.  You can assure them that the results of the Self Check are confidential.  

Top Echelon Contracting has been E-Verifying employees for over a year and has run into situations where employees thought they were authorized to work, but ended up having expired credentials. Had they not been E-Verified, they may have been in the country illegally without even knowing it, but since we were able to alert them to the problem, they were able to fix it quickly and continue working.  If they had been able to check themselves, they may have been able to fix the problem before they started their assignments and not had to work around their work schedule to get things resolved. We hope this new tool is available to everyone soon and that it helps workers ensure their work eligibility.

Debbie Fledderjohann is the President of Top Echelon Contracting, Inc.