Long Island I-9 Attorney
Employers in Long Island must meet strict federal requirements when verifying the identity and work authorization of their employees. Our attorneys at Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP guide businesses through the I-9 process with precision, helping ensure each form is properly completed, supported by valid documentation, and securely stored.
As your Long Island I-9 lawyer, we focus on making compliance a routine part of your hiring practices. From reviewing new hire paperwork to resolving challenging verification issues, we provide the knowledge and support needed to safeguard your business from costly penalties. Our team understands the demands faced by employers across Nassau and Suffolk Counties and works to keep your I-9 procedures both accurate and audit-ready.
Hire an I-9 Lawyer
Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP’s employment verification and immigration attorneys have over 125 years of collective experience. As a top law firm in New York City, as recognized by U.S. News and World Report, our firm is familiar with the exacting standards required of employers, and we hold Long Island employers to the same standard.
Our attorneys are well-versed in the federal requirements as well as the issues facing employers in Nassau and Suffolk County and provide comprehensive I-9 advice to protect your business against expensive missteps.
Meeting I-9 Verification Standards in Long Island
The Form I-9 is a federal employment eligibility verification document that each employer is required to complete for every new employee. Business owners on Long Island follow the same Form I-9 national guidelines as the rest of the country, but specific local industries can have additional issues to consider as well.
Employers in Nassau and Suffolk County must carefully complete each section of the form, familiarize themselves with the types of documents that can be accepted, and know and follow the retention guidelines. Key compliance steps include:
- Completing all required sections of Form I-9 for each new employee
- Reviewing and recording valid identity and work authorization documents
- Retaining I-9 forms for the mandated period after hire or termination
- Keeping records secure and accessible for potential government review
We work with your business to develop systems that are integrated into the hiring process to help ensure records are complete, up-to-date, secure, and available for inspection, minimizing the possibility of costly fines or business interruptions.
Reducing Risks During I-9 Audits
Government audits can happen with little or no notice, and errors on your I-9 forms could lead to significant penalties. Industries in Long Island that commonly face greater enforcement include health care, manufacturing, and hospitality businesses. An audit could be triggered by a random inspection, from information received during other investigations, or from employee-related complaints.
With such a large share of New York’s workforce employed by small businesses, compliance mistakes can have a significant impact on both workers and owners. Small businesses make up 99.8% of New York’s economy, with 2.2 million enterprises employing nearly half of the state’s workers.
We assist clients in self-auditing their records to uncover and fix errors and properly prepare documentation to pass muster when challenged. In the event of an audit, we represent the company’s interests, take care of all communication with government officials, and walk you through the process step-by-step. With I-9 records that are in order and complete, you can show your good-faith effort to hire legally, and know you are ready for an inspection.
Solving Complex Documentation Challenges in Long Island
It is not uncommon for Long Island employers to run into problems like name discrepancies in Social Security numbers, expired work authorizations, or employees who have requested re-verification of employment eligibility. It can be even more of a challenge to prevent recurring I-9 issues for industries with high turnover or seasonal employees.
PPID delivers targeted solutions to efficiently and legally prevent and resolve any employment verification problems across different businesses and industries. We possess extensive knowledge of both Nassau and Suffolk County businesses and understand the particularities of your sector’s recruitment methods.
Our attorneys deliver practical guidance and maintain compliance for your employment eligibility verification process in industries like retail and restaurants, as well as construction, education, and professional services.
By acting proactively, we help you prevent expensive operational disruptions while keeping your I-9 files ready for audits.
FAQs
An I-9 review involves evaluating each I-9 form for accuracy, completeness, and proper documentation. Long Island employers need to help ensure required documents are filed while tracking proper retention periods and swiftly addressing any document issues.
We partner with employers to perform thorough reviews and help maintain records that are ready for any possible audit. Our I-9 audits serve as proactive steps to minimize penalty risks while safeguarding business operations and demonstrating legal employment compliance.
The first step in preparation is having well-organized and error-free records. I-9s should be maintained in a safe, central location and should be kept for the appropriate retention period. The records should be periodically internally audited by the employer.
Our attorneys create industry-specific review strategies for Long Island firms with workforce size considerations. Identifying errors early enables us to assist you in maintaining records that will satisfy government officials and meet federal employment verification standards.
Expiration of employment authorization documents triggers the need for re-verification of employment eligibility under federal law. Employers should maintain records of when documents will expire and update I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms in a timely manner.
By proactively managing this process, you can protect your business from potential legal issues, keep your employment authorization records up-to-date, and show a good-faith effort in complying with federal employment verification requirements.
All employers are subject to the same verification guidelines, but certain industries on Long Island are more likely to face I-9 issues. High turnover, re-verifications, and complex documentation problems are common for hospitality, healthcare, construction, and seasonal retail businesses. Our industry-spanning knowledge enables us to deliver solutions that keep your I-9 process efficient while ensuring legal compliance throughout.
Speak to Our Long Island I-9 Lawyer
Employers in Long Island have an affirmative duty to verify the identity and employment eligibility of everyone they hire via a federal form known as Form I-9. An employer’s failure to comply with I-9 requirements can result in civil fines and criminal penalties.
At Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP, our attorneys can work with you to help ensure you are aware of your responsibilities and obligations, are prepared in the event of an audit by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and know how to fix problems before they occur.
We have extensive experience advising clients on federal immigration requirements and defending them during ICE and DHS audits, and our attorneys have successfully represented businesses in a variety of industries, including health care, construction, hospitality, and professional services.
We can help you ensure that your employment eligibility verification records are complete, properly maintained, and readily available for inspection. Contact us today for a consultation.
ES