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By: Kevin J. Richter

Employers and employees should be aware that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has released a revised version of Form I-9 that is effective January 22, 2017.

Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization for individuals hired in the United States. All US employers are responsible for ensuring the proper completion of Form I-9 for individuals they hire to work in the US.

The revised I-9 form is designed to be more user-friendly and includes features to make completion on the computer easier. There are now drop-down lists for various fields on the form, such as acceptable documents, issuing authorities, states and countries. The form also includes on-screen instructions for each field in addition to the standard page of instructions. The revised form further includes a box for additional information allowing employers to include more information without having to fit it in the margins of the form.

While this form must be used for new-hires, employers do not need to have existing employees complete the updated I-9 form. Further, employers may still choose to print and handwrite I-9 forms for their new hires; however, this form has been updated as well so employers should be sure to download the new revised I-9 form for 2017 rather than using existing copies.

Professional Services Disclaimer: Please note that the information presented here is as an educational service, and while it contains information about legal issues, it is not legal advice. No warranty is made regarding the applicability of the information presented to a particular client situation, and the information set forth is not a substitute for original legal research, analysis and drafting for a particular client situation.