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Immigration — South Carolina

Verifying employment authorization

Under the Immigration and Reform Act (IRCA) every employer must verify that the person it will employ is authorized to work in the United States, regardless of his or her nationality or whether the person is a citizen or non-citizen. To do this, every new employee must complete the Form I-9. Section 1 must be completed by the employee no later than the first day of employment, while Section 2 must be completed by the employer within three days of the start date. Because the I-9 is constantly updated, employers should make sure that the most recent form available is the one being completed. The current I-9 form and instructions may be accessed from the website of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at:

Employers cannot specify which document(s) the new employee should present but instead should give the employees the list of acceptable documents. Employees can present any List A document, which establishes both identity and employment eligibility. Alternatively, a new employee may submit a combination of List B and C documents. List B documents establish identity and List C documents establish employment eligibility. Employers should not...


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