All federal agencies to use 'e-verify' to confirm employees' immigration status

By Michael J. Gurfinkel Esq.

Citing the need to "verify" the employment eligibility of our nation's workforce, the Executive Office of the President (Office of Management and Budget) announced that effective October 1, 2007, all federal departments and agencies shall begin verifying their new hires (workers) through E-Verify, to confirm the employment eligibility of federal workers.

The Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify), previously known as the Basic Pilot Program, allows U.S. employers to verify the name, date of birth, and social security number of workers, along with immigration information for non-citizens against existing federal databases. This is to verify the employment eligibility of both citizen and non-citizen new hires. The purpose of E-Verify is to help U.S. employers maintain a legal workforce and protect jobs for authorized U.S. workers.

In order that the federal government can "lead by example", the Office of Management and Budget has directed all federal departments and agencies to start verifying the immigration status of non-citizens, to ensure that those workers are legally authorized to work.

I know that there are many Filipinos who work for the federal government and/or at very sensitive, high-security locations, such as airports, government contractors, etc. So, for all persons working for the federal government, make sure that your immigration status and papers are in proper order in connection with this new directive to "E-Verify" your working status.