FloridAgriculture eNewsletter January 2021

Many Florida employers and business owners can expect changes in the New Year regarding the new mandatory E-Verify law. Beginning on January 1, 2021, Florida’s new “Verification of Employment Eligibility” statute will require many employers to use the federal E-Verify system before hiring any new employees. The new law will compare information from I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms, currently mandatory by all employers in the state of Florida, to other federal databases to confirm eligibility to work in the United States.

The new law will now require private employers to use the E-Verify system or alternatively, use the I-9 Form and maintain copies every three years. Private employers who do not comply will be at risk of losing their business licenses and possibly limit their ability to do business with the state.

The Department of Economic Opportunity will no longer fund projects after January 1, 2021 that do not comply with the new law. Failure to provide the proper eligibility information may result in an employer having to repay all moneys received by the DEO.

No public contract can be entered into without an E-Verify certificate after January 1, 2021. For more information on Florida’s new mandatory E-Verify law, visit https://www.fisherphillips.com/resources-alerts-floridas-new-mandatory-e-verify-law-will.