Immigration & Employment Verification Fines Drastically Increasing

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that beginning August 1, 2016 they will increase the penalties for unlawfully employing immigrants, unfair employment practices tied to immigration, and for so-called “paperwork violations” on Forms I-9.

The new rule will enhance Form I-9 paperwork violations from a maximum of $1,100 to $2,156 per violation, and a minimum from $110 to $216.  The minimum penalty for employing undocumented individuals will increase from $375 to $539, while the maximum will go from $3,200 to $4,313.  Employers with multiple violations will face a new maximum penalty of $21,563 for unlawfully employing immigrants.  For unfair immigration-related employment practices, a first fine could cost as much as $3,563 per person discriminated against.

These new penalties will take effect on August 1st and apply to all violations that took place after November 2, 2015.