U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is rolling out a new version of the Form I-9 that employers use to verify the identity and employment authorization of their workers.The new document includes minor changes to the form itself as well as the instructions for completing it including:

• Revising Country of Issuance and Issuing Authority fields.
• Adding Eswatini and Macedonia, North to reflect recent name changes for those countries.
• Clarifying who can act as an authorized representative on behalf of an employer.
• Updating the USCIS website address.
• Providing clarification on acceptable support documents.
• Updating the process for requesting paper versions of the Form I-9.
• Updating the Department of Homeland Security privacy notice.

The new form has been available for employers to use since Jan. 31, 2020, but companies have until April 30, 2020 to transition to the revised I-9. A form with the date of Oct. 21, 2019 in the lower left corner is the updated version. That is the date the changes were approved.Employers must have a completed I-9 for every person they hire for employment in the United States. That applies to citizens and non-citizens. Employees and employers should complete the form.Also read: No-match notificationsStaying current with I-9s can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Using Syndeo as an outsourced human resources provider can take your stress out of I-9 compliance.Syndeo helps small- and medium-sized businesses with I-9 compliance and record retention along with E-Verify management as part of our full-service human resources offerings. E-Verify is a web-based employment verification program. Our human resource information system also allows for I-9s to be completed and filed electronically.Contact us to learn more about how we can help your business.About us: As the Heartland’s leading employer services company, Syndeo partners with local business owners to help them minimize risk, improve efficiency and maximize profitability allowing them the freedom to focus on growth and fulfilling their mission. Syndeo fulfills its mission by taking on all of the HR responsibilities for our clients’ workforce, including employee relations, benefits, risk management and payroll.