This audio conference was recorded on Wednesday - March 11, 2009

Credits:

This program has been approved for 1.5 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org. The use of this seal is not an endorsement by HRCI of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met HRCI’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification.

Description:

It’s a scary new world in 2009 for employers dealing with immigration issues:

• The new version of the I-9 form continues to trigger confusion and questions –and it’s set to expire in June, which means that more changes could be on the way.
• Complaints abound regarding the government’s E-Verify system – from “false positives” that incorrectly flag legal workers to concerns about the system’s new photo screening tool.
• A huge federal court battle is brewing right now – with a ruling scheduled this spring – over conflicting guidelines issued by two agencies over what you must do when you receive a no-match letter. (One side says you’ll get in trouble for taking action against the employee; the other says you must take action.)
• Federal inspectors stepped up their immigration paperwork audits and on-site visits last year, and you can expect even more enforcement activity in 2009 and beyond.

Confused yet? A little scared, even? It’s no wonder. Get the real dirt in this audio conference recording, when our two experts – both experienced immigration attorneys – will sort out what’s what and explain what you need to do now to make sure you’re in compliance and reduce your risk of legal “gotchas” down the line.

Speaker(s):

Carl Falstrom, Esq., is of counsel in the New Orleans office of law firm McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC. He represents businesses and organizations in employment-based U.S. immigration matters. He also counsels individuals and their families in visa, citizenship, and naturalization procedures. His areas of expertise include assistance with I-9 completion and records maintenance, representation in connection with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) audits, and responses to Social Security no-match letters. Falstrom has held several leadership positions within the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and he has served as an adjunct professor of immigration law at two universities. He earned his law degree at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

John Nahajzer, Esq., is the managing partner of Maggio & Katter, PC, the largest immigration law firm in Washington, DC. He focuses his practice on corporate business immigration issues, representing clients from Fortune 500 corporations to small-and medium-sized enterprises in various industries from high tech and engineering to healthcare and manufacturing. He has expertise in all facets of the employment-based arena, including I-9 and Social Security no-match procedures, corporate best practices in immigration matters, and the immigration implications of mergers and acquisitions. Nahajzer served formerly as assistant general counsel for a major technology company, managing its worldwide immigration and employment law issues. He earned his law degree at The American University’s Washington College of Law.

You and your colleagues will learn:

• What’s going on with the I-9 form – and the acceptable documents for determining employment eligibility
• How to respond if you suspect an employee is presenting you with a fake document or refuses to provide you with any documentation at all
• What to do when you receive a no-match letter – and what you should never do
• The latest legislative and regulatory developments that will affect your immigration compliance efforts in 2009 and beyond
• How to develop bulletproof I-9 policies - from filling out, verifying, filing, and destroying the forms to auditing your I-9s and dealing with workers who refuse to submit them
• Updates on what’s happening right now with E-Verify and SSNVS verification procedures
• Practical guidance for avoiding the most common bias claims related to immigration issues
• The civil and criminal penalties you may face if you make mistakes with immigration paperwork and procedures – and how to avoid them
• Step-by-step guidelines for handling DHS-ICE audits and on-site inspections