This coming fall, the Department of Homeland Security may release its updated version of the Form I-9. The new form is likely to be 80% larger than before, increasing from a five-page document to nine pages and will include several changes over the previous version. While some of the changes promise to facilitate more accurate completion of Form I-9, the new document also leaves and creates many gray areas, without clarification in the instructions about what is required. These changes present new possibilities for errors and put employers at greater risk of receiving audits and fines. While avoiding errors is of great importance for employers, there are also areas of the form that are causing greater public concern around privacy issues and processes, such as the inclusion of a 3-D barcode. It is imperative that employers understand the proposed changes, be ready to supply the necessary information, and are prepared to update training materials.
