Part #3: Audit Readiness and Support

This is the third and final segment in a three part series designed to help HR professionals determine the most important criteria for their organization to consider when selecting an automated I-9 & E-Verify solution. The first post focused on the solution’s ability to deliver complete compliance and eliminate risk for the organization. The second post was focused on improving processes and gaining efficiency.

This post is focused on audit readiness, or the solution’s ability to position its customers to experience smooth, on-time audits with no fines. When you adopt an I-9 solution, there isn’t a more important result you can achieve than to know with certainty that you are always ready for an ICE or E-Verify audit. It is critical to not only select the right solution from a technical standpoint but to also develop a partnership with an organization that is focused on your audit success. Is the product designed with functionality to instantly and accurately deliver audit data? Will you have self-audit capabilities that give you the control you need? Does the vendor have the expertise, track record and resources you need if you require support through the process?

If you get a notice of inspection from ICE, you want your audit as painless as possible. You need to make sure the solution creates ICE-compliant audit trails so you will be able to deliver records with the information ICE demands, the way they want to see it.

• Does the solution log all system activity as required by ICE into ICE-compliant audit trails?
• At the time the Section 2 and Section 3 signatures are submitted, does your solution make a read-only copy of the I-9 with a date/time stamp?
• If an I-9 is changed, is a new read-only copy made upon completing the amendment, with a date/time stamp?
• Does the solution provide a summary report that shows all changes across an I-9’s signing history?
• Does the solution meet the regulatory requirements of electronic signatures?
• Does the solution have the ability to support an E-Verify desk or onsite audit conducted by the DHS Monitoring and Compliance Unit?

It pays to use a vendor who has experience with ICE audits and a history of providing effective support for their customers.

• How many ICE and E-Verify audits have they assisted customers with, and what are the results? Have their customers had to pay any fines? What were the reasons?
• Is their process or methodology for audit projects streamlined and efficient? What are the costs involved and the timing? Can they respond quickly enough to be a viable resource?

In order to respond to an audit quickly and efficiently, it is important that the solution can support your needs as well as the needs of the vendor’s entire client base, in a secure, dependable, scalable environment.

• How many I-9s do they process for their customers per year? How many users do they support? How many worksites? How many hiring managers?
• Does the solution provider have customers in your industry, of your size, with similar volume?
• Is the technical environment secure and scalable? What technology is utilized? Where is it hosted? What is the track record for uptime and availability?

Our I-9 Evaluation Guide contains 15 pages of questions like these to help you make the best choice when it comes to automating your I-9 and E-Verify process. Download it today or contact us for more info.