Staying compliant with I-9 employment verification requirements is essential for every organization. For HR professionals managing a workforce across multiple locations, maintaining I-9 compliance can present significant operational challenges. Whether you’re onboarding a handful of new employees or hundreds, the way your team manages Form I-9s can determine the difference between a seamless audit and costly penalties.  

The Form I-9 is a simple two-page document that can be surprisingly easy to get wrong. Decentralized I-9 management, where individual locations handle the form independently, often leads to inconsistent procedures, higher error rates, misfiled or incomplete records, and increased ICE audit exposure. Fines for I-9 violations can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per form, depending on the severity of the infraction. 

So, how can HR teams avoid common compliance errors and stay ahead of regulatory expectations? It ultimately begins with centralized I-9 management. 

Here's What You'll Learn

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When it comes to Form I-9 compliance, the stakes are higher than ever. With increasing federal scrutiny and rising audit rates, managing Form I-9 has become more than just tedious; it’s downright risky. 

Mary Bruce Why Outsourcing Form I-9 Compliance is the Smart Choice for Employers

Getting a Notice of Inspection (NOI) from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can make any HR professional nervous. While it may seem intimidating, understanding what an ICE audit involves and knowing how to respond can make the process less stressful.  

Mary Bruce Breaking Down the Notice of Inspection for ICE Audits

When it comes to employment eligibility verification, few documents are as critical and error prone as the Form I-9. HR juggles compliance, onboarding, and documentation every day, but one misstep with Form I-9 can lead to significant consequences in 2025. This is especially true when it involves what's known as a substantive error. 

Mary Bruce Top 10 Substantive Form I-9 Errors to Avoid

The anxiety of an I-9 audit by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can cause business owners and HR professionals sleepless nights, especially as the current administration intensifies its focus on immigration reform. These audits ensure that employers are complying with the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) by verifying the identity and employment eligibility of their employees. It involves checking the Employment Eligibility Verification forms (Form I-9) to confirm that all employees are legally authorized to work in the United States and that a Form I-9 is on file for all employees hired after Nov. 6, 1986. 

Mary Bruce How to Prepare for an I-9 Audit and Why it Can't Wait