Form I-9 and E-Verify Services

Sterling I-9 helps address complex US employment eligibility with ease and efficiency.
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What's New

Virtual I-9 Document Review

Sterling I-9 clients now have a secure, modernized solution for remote I-9 document review.

As part of the existing Sterling I-9 solution, ID.me I-9 Document Review Specialists will examine documents virtually, securely, and conveniently, enabling employers to complete I-9 requirements remotely for their new hires.

Contact us to be one of the first to access this new solution
Learn More

Read the press release and watch our Sterling Live episode via LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube.

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How Virtual I-9 Document Review is Unique

Modern and Streamlined
The virtual I-9 document verification process is now available to eligible Sterling I-9 clients who are also E-Verify users.
Greater Convenience
I-9 Document Review Specialists will examine documents securely and conveniently, enabling employers to complete I-9 onboarding requirements remotely for new hires.
Highly Trained Agents
ID.me I-9 Document Review Specialists are expertly trained for document inspection and Section 2 completion.
Fast and Compliant
The entire I-9 document verification process can be completed remotely in 5-10 minutes and is compliant with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Securely Retained
All documents verified by ID.me are securely retained along with all other I-9 documentation in the Sterling system – making it easily accessible for audit purposes.

Helping Address US Employment Eligibility Challenges

When you find the right candidate for your organization, the I-9 process is one of the final steps to finish onboarding the new employee. The Form I-9/E-Verify process can pose some ramifications and risk, such as:

  • Facing exposure to costly federal fines from audits and inspections
  • Properly retaining employee Form I-9s
  • Changing government regulations causing complexity
Learn how Sterling I-9 can help

Non-Compliance of I-9 Can be Costly

I-9 Fines by Penalty Type

  • $272 - $2.7K Paperwork fines per document with errors
  • $676 - $5.5K Civil penalties for first instance of unauthorized personnel
  • $5.4K - $27K Multiple civil penalties for two or more instances of unauthorized personnel
Sources: federalregister.gov - 2023

I-9 Audits/Inspections

In order to expand investigative and enforcement capabilities of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, more inspection officers are being added.
Sources: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Budget Overview (dhs.gov) (2023)

A Seamless I-9 Experience from Start to Finish

Our modern, end-to-end solution helps address the complexity of US employment eligibility with ease and efficiency. This means you benefit from:

  • A Sterling owned and operated, mobile responsive I-9 service that acts faster to your needs.
  • An efficient, seamless Form I-9 workflow
  • A centralized screening and I-9/E-Verify program
  • Management of Form I-9 documents in a simpler and more organized manner
  • Flexible verifier options that fit your needs
  • An interactive dashboard to view employee I-9 statuses
Learn about the new I-9 updates
Screenshot of I-9 experience on a tablet.

The Sterling Difference

  • 0%
    I-9 orders
    utilize E-Verify2
  • 0%
    E-Verify completion rate1
  • 0+
    years of combined I-9 experience within the Sterling I-9 team
1 Sterling Corporate Stats , Q1 2022
2 Sterling Corporate Stats, Q3 2021 to Q1 2022

Achieve Increased Productivity with Sterling I-9

  • Benefit from automated Form I-9 data collection and real-time validation, thus minimizing errors and omissions, and reducing risk of non-compliance
  • Give feedback to help influence continuous enhancements
  • Manage remote Form I-9 for both Section 1 and Section 2 completion
  • Store all Form I-9 and supporting documents in a centralized cloud-based data center
  • Manage the full-spectrum E-Verify process with auto-submission and integrated case management tools
  • Offer employees a world-class onboarding experience with easy-to-navigate user interface
  • Import of historical paper and electronic I-9 forms
Looking for an I-9 Service?
High Standards
Our I-9 solution allows us to be adaptable and deliver continuous quality enhancements without relying on a secondary provider.
Seamless
Our easy-to-use monitoring dashboard minimizes complexity and allows you to move swiftly through the onboarding process. Sterling I-9 enhancements offer added flexibility and minimize manual processing of Form I-9.
All-in-One Place
We provide a central location for new hire materials, including an integrated I-9 and E-Verify experience, a streamlined process that ends with all documents in one centralized place.

Help Reduce Audits and Lengthy Onboarding

Intelligent validations navigate you and your new employees through completion, providing real-time guidance to minimize mistakes. Our forms automatically validate every entry, inspect for incorrect data, and check for skipped questions. When the Form I-9 is completed, we securely store it in our centralized cloud-based data center. Every Form I-9 is tracked and logged from creation, providing you with full chain of custody and audit trail for each Form I-9. All of these quality assurance safeguards are part of the Sterling I-9 service to help reduce the risk of non-compliance.
  • Client
  • Employee
  • Sterling

The Employer initiates the Form I-9 in Client Hub

New hire electronically completes Section 1 (invite your employee to complete it)

Employer or an employer-assigned verifier electronically completes Section 2

Verifier Options:
  1. Notary Network
  2. Verifier Network
  3. Employee-selected verifier
  4. Company rep

If applicable, Sterling automatically creates a case in E-Verify

Form I-9 record and E-Verify case information are stored in a Sterling secure cloud system

Did You Know?
Form I-9s should be retained for three years after the date of hire, or one year after the date employment ends – whichever is later.
Sterling I-9 can help you manage retention and purging of your Form I-9s. We conveniently store all of your Form I-9 and E-Verify records in Sterling’s secure cloud system.
Using an electronic Form I-9 creates process efficiencies.
Sterling’s electronic Form I-9 with line-by-line prompts guide you and your new employees through completion; there is no confusion or opportunities for mistakes. Our forms validate every entry, inspect for incorrect data, and check for skipped questions.
Migrating your data to Sterling I-9 is easy.
Using our integration process, moving your I-9 data has never been easier to ensure everything is centralized and easy to access.
The Form I-9/E-Verify process is an important part of onboarding.
The Form I-9 is mandatory and used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the US. Proper documents must be presented to authenticate identity and employment eligibility.
Both employees and employer are responsible for completing the Form I-9.
Many clients choose to enroll in E-Verify as another point of verification to confirm an employee’s information against US government records. E-Verify service can be inclusive to your Form I-9, and Sterling provides the tools for you to manage your cases.

Robust Section 2 Verification Options

Sterling I-9 offers four options to verify Section 2 of your Form I-9.
  • Most like traditional paper-pencil method
  • Company-designated representative serves as agent
  • Can be performed remotely or in-person
  • No additional cost
  • “Next-door neighbor” method
  • Employee chooses agent
  • Agent uses Sterling online tool for completion during in-person meeting
  • No additional cost
  • Employee selects appointment time and has 420 set locations in the US to choose from
  • Agent uses Sterling online tool for completion during in-person meeting
  • Additional cost per use
  • Traveling notary agent meets in public place
  • Notary serves as agent – NOT notarizing Form I-9
  • Agent uses Sterling online tool for completion during in-person meeting
  • Additional cost per use

*When using Notary Network, the notary is acting on behalf as a signer/agent, not a notary

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