DHS Issues New Version Of Form I-9 - Effective On September 18, 2017

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued yet another update to the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. This new version becomes mandatory for use with new hires and reverifications as of September 18, 2017. This is the thirteenth revision of Form I-9 in the thirty years since the form was first required. The good news for employers is that the 2017 changes are more modest than other recent revisions.

DHS has revised the I-9 instructions in two ways:

• First, DHS has modified its description of when section 1 of Form I-9 must be completed. Section 1 is where new employees certify under penalty of perjury that they are authorized to work lawfully in the United States. The I-9 instructions previously stated that "[s]ection 1 must be completed no later than the end of the employee's first day of employment." The revised instructions describe the time period as "no later than the employee's first day of employment." It is unclear why DHS made