South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been handed a new bill that makes E-Verify mandatory in the state. This bill follows action taken by Georgia, Alabama and in a small measure North Carolina to tackle illegal immigration in their states. The bill introduced by Sen. Larry Grooms of Bonneau is based on an Arizona law that allows police to check the immigration status of any person they believe might be in the country illegally.
By a 69-43 vote, the state House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments that require employers to use the federal E-Verify database to check their employees’ residency status. The Governor is expected to sign the bill which makes knowingly employing illegal immigrants a punishable offence and can lead to fines and financial liabilities for the company.
The measure creates a grace period of one year for employers, during which penalties will be probationary. After that, employers can face temporary suspension of their business license for hiring illegal immigrants and reinstatement fees after those workers have been fired. On third offense, an employer’s business license can be revoked. The illegal immigration bill makes provision for police to ask for citizenship documentation from anyone they stop or detain for another reason. It would also allow police to hold a person who fails to provide documentation until their citizenship status is determined.
EMPTrust can help you with your I-9 and E-Verification process. EMPTrust’s software application allows companies to manage I-9 forms and seamlessly integrate with employment eligibility verification (E-Verify) all at one go.
Disclaimer: The content of this post does not constitute direct legal advice and is designed for informational purposes only. Any issues regarding compliance and obligations under United States or International laws or regulations should be addressed through your legal department or outside counsel.
