While the idea of writing one’s last name on a form seems like an easy task, complications on an I-9 form may arise when names appear differently on various official documents. Rules relating to last name include: entering the full “legal” last name; including both names when an employee has two last names or a hyphenated last name; including the name in the last name field and “unknown” in the first name field when the employee has only one name; avoiding writing periods; and excluding name suffixes. Employees are instructed to include their full “legal” first name, as well as both names when two names exist. The middle initial is defined as “the first letter of your second given name, or the first letter of your middle name, if any.” The “other last names used” field should be considered in its former label: “maiden name,” changed to avoid the possibility of discrimination and to protect the privacy of transgender and protected individuals.
