COMPLIANCE UPDATE! 2024 E-VERIFY LAW IN FLORIDA
Integrity Employee Leasing
A customer-committed team dedicated to providing quality service with passion and integrity.
Effective July 1, 2024, a new E-Verify law in Florida has introduced significant changes that impact how companies verify the employment eligibility of their new hires.
For business owners and HR managers in Florida, staying compliant with this and future employment laws is crucial to the success of your business – and your bottom line.
One of the nation’s leading professional employer organizations (PEOs), Integrity Employee Leasing understands the challenges that come with adapting to new regulations. Our highly trained experts frequently manage compliance for our clients to ensure they avoid unnecessary fees and penalties. Integrity also provides helpful training for both frontline and management staff in preparation for regulatory changes, such as how to enact necessary process updates.
To help you and your company navigate the Florida E-Verify law in 2024, our team outlined the basics that you need to know – as well as some tips to support ongoing compliance.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2024 E-VERIFY LAW IN FLORIDA
The 2024 E-Verify law in Florida mandates that all private employers with 25 or more employees must use E-Verify to confirm the legal work status of their new hires. This is an extension of existing requirements, which previously applied primarily to public employers and contractors.
E-Verify is an internet-based verification system administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It requires employers to confirm the employment eligibility of new hires as U.S. citizens or lawfully authorized alien workers by submitting information from each new employee’s Form I-9.
To determine whether Form I-9 documentation is valid, an employer must use E-Verify’s photo matching tool to compare photographs on some permanent resident cards, employment authorization cards and U.S. passports with the official U.S. government photograph. The online verification system also checks data from driver’s licenses and identification cards issued by some states.
These regulatory changes apply to new hires only, meaning that current employees are not subject to retroactive verification through E-Verify. The law also extends to out-of-state employers who have employees working in Florida, ensuring that anyone performing services within the state is verified through the E-Verify system.
Employers who fail to comply with the new E-Verify requirements face significant penalties. For example, if the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) determines that an employer is not using E-Verify, the employer will receive a notification and have 30 days to correct the issue. If you receive this notification, it is critical that you respond immediately to address any non-compliance and put new processes in place.
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Otherwise, failure to comply can result in severe consequences. These include fines of up to $1,000 per day for repeated violations within a 24-month period. Additionally, non-compliant employers risk having their business licenses, permits and registrations suspended or revoked. This would have a tremendous and immediate negative effect on any company’s bottom line and must be avoided at all costs.
5 COMPLIANCE TIPS FROM OUR E-VERIFY EXPERTS
The E-Verify experts at Integrity Employee Leasing are committed to preparing our business and franchise clients in advance for any procedural changes. Here are just a few recommendations from our experienced team as you consider how the 2024 E-Verify law in Florida applies to your HR processes.
Keeping track of news laws can be stressful and time-consuming for anyone. Businesses and franchises who are just getting up to speed with these changes may benefit from partnering with a PEO like Integrity Employee Leasing.
Our experienced team regularly keeps a close eye on the ever-changing regulatory landscape. Functioning as an extension of your team, you can count on us to proactively communicate any important news. We pride ourselves on bringing solutions and supportive resources, so that our clients remain ahead of any coming changes.
For example, Integrity Employee Leasing offers specialized training programs designed to equip any HR team with the necessary skills and knowledge they need to excel in their positions. This includes team coaching about new E-Verify law requirements in Florida. Our E-Verify experts teach HR and business managers how to use the new online system and understand the types of information required, empowering them to manage any issues that arise. The training covers everything from basic enrollment to advanced troubleshooting, so that your team can handle compliance with confidence.
For those seeking to outsource E-Verify responsibilities, Integrity Employee Leasing offers full-service PEO solutions for your needs, from verifying new hires to maintaining compliance records. In fact, Integrity can provide onboarding software that will handle the entire verification process! This makes the hiring process quick and seamless, freeing you to address more pressing matters with your time.
Either way, our goal is to effectively remove the burden associated with navigating present and future legal changes. Let us set your company up for successful compliance, no matter the circumstance. It will afford a measure of peace and confidence, while preserving your valuable time and attention for what matters most – pursuing your vision for the future of your business.
Contact Integrity today to learn more about our training programs and full-service E-Verify management solutions. Together, we will ensure your business is ready to thrive despite these recent regulatory changes. Give us a call at (941) 625-0623 to get started!