ABC - E-Verify Federal Contractor Rule

Home Page >> Newsroom >> News Letters >> Volume 2009 >> Issue 1 >> E-Verify Federal Contractor Rule

E-VERIFY FEDERAL CONTRACTOR RULE (01/13/2009)

E-Verify Federal Contractor Rule Suspended Until at Least Feb. 20

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has agreed to suspend implementation of a new rule mandating that federal contractors use theEmployment Eligibility Verification (E-Verify) system for verification of all new and many existing employees. DOJ's decision came as a result of a legal challenge that was brought by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Society for Human Resource Management and several other employer associations. The rule had been scheduled to go into effect Jan. 15, 2009, but has now been pushed back to Feb. 20, 2009. It is possible that the Feb. 20 deadline may be extended.

In December, ABC and its coalition partners challenged the authority of the government to promulgate this regulation and sought an injunction from a federal court. The legal challenge echoed ABC's position in previous comments on the rule, arguing that to require broader use of E-Verify would be illegal and expose contractors to needless liabilities.

For more information on the E-Verify rule, please visitwww.abc.org/e-verify. In addition, ABC encourages members to consult with counsel on what steps, if any, your organization needs to take with regard to this regulation.