?The extended period to resolve discrepancies found in E-Verify between an employee’s Social Security number and government records ends soon.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that after July 15, employees will be required to contact their local SSA office within the standard eight federal working days to begin resolving a mismatch.
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Pandemic Pause
The time frame for an employee to take action to resolve a tentative nonconfirmation was extended at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to SSA office closures.
E-Verify cases referred to the SSA between March 2, 2020, and July 14, 2022, will continue to benefit from the extended time frame for resolution of the mismatch. Staggered deadlines are based on the date of the referral to the SSA, with a final deadline of Sept. 29, 2023. After that, a final nonconfirmation will be issued and employers may terminate the employee.
(E-Verify)
SSN No-Match Letters Make a Comeback
In 2019, the SSA resurrected its practice of sending out employer correction request notices, also known as no-match letters, to notify employers about discrepancies between a worker’s Social Security number and government records. After a brief pandemic-related hiatus, the SSA resumed this practice.
Virtual I-9 Flexibility for Remote Workers Extended
In a similar move to the SSA’s, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement first issued in March 2020 a temporary policy allowing employers that were operating remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic to inspect Form I-9 documents virtually. The policy has been extended 13 times and is currently valid through Oct. 31.
Proposal on Virtual I-9 Review Is Near
The Department of Homeland Security announced it plans to issue a proposed rule soon allowing virtual document examination options for reviewing I-9 forms.
The practice of virtual document review started during the pandemic. Many employers want a remote review option, but they are also calling for better remote examination methods.