Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, recently approved legislation mandating certain private employers to verify the employment eligibility of their new hires, beginning July 1, 2023.

Key Takeaways:

• Effective July 1, 2023, private employers with a workforce of 25 or more employees will be required to utilize the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired personnel.
• Within three business days of a new hire’s start date, employers must complete the necessary E-Verify checks.
• Employers must retain copies of employment eligibility verification documents provided by employees, along with any relevant E-Verify information, for a minimum of three years.
• Presently, Florida state law mandates E-Verify usage solely for public employers and private entities engaged in government contracts or receiving government funding.
• Starting July 1, 2024, failure to comply with the mandatory E-Verify requirement could result in fines of up to $1,000 per day as well as potential license suspension and/or revocation.

Employers utilizing E-Verify in good faith are generally assumed to have made lawful employment decisions. Affected employers should prepare to integrate the E-Verify system by July 1, 2023, unless changes to the law occur.

For further information on how to register for E-Verify and the related compliance requirements, please reach out to our office.