Fines for knowingly hiring or continuing to employ unauthorized workers can reach as much as $16,000 per violation. These four important areas will help employers avoid common Form I-9 violations. 1. Form I-9 must be retained for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date of termination, whichever is later. 2. Though there is no legal requirement that Forms I-9 be stored separately from the employment file, it is a good idea to do so. 3. New hires must be allowed to select documents of their choice from the lists accompanying Form I-9, however, none of these documents can be expired. 4. If a mistake or error is found on a Form I-9, it is important that employers never erase, use white-out or otherwise render the initial information unreadable.
