> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.firstwork.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 🇺🇸 I-9 Verification

> Step-by-step guide to setting up I-9 employment eligibility verification in your US hiring flow

## Overview

Form I-9 is a mandatory US federal requirement — every employer must verify the identity and employment authorization of each person they hire. Firstwork streamlines this by embedding I-9 collection, document verification, and E-Verify case creation directly into your hiring flow.

This guide walks through how to structure your I-9 verification process for high-volume hiring.

***

## How I-9 Verification Fits Into a Hiring Flow

A typical US hiring flow places I-9 verification after onboarding forms and before final approval:

```mermaid theme={null}
graph LR
    A[Location & Basic Info] --> B[Onboarding Forms]
    B --> C[Federal Forms - W-4, E-Form]
    C --> D[I-9 Verification]
    D --> E[E-Verify]
    E --> F[Employment Verification]
    F --> G[Approved / Rejected]
```

I-9 verification is typically split across multiple pages to handle the distinct sections of the form and the different parties involved (candidate vs. employer).

***

## Step 1: Collect I-9 Section 1 (Candidate)

Create an **Onboarding** page that collects the candidate's I-9 Section 1 data. This includes:

| Field                        | Element Type | Notes                                                                                |
| ---------------------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Full legal name              | Text         | First, middle, last, maiden                                                          |
| Date of birth                | Date Picker  | Block future dates                                                                   |
| Social Security Number       | Text         | Mark as sensitive field                                                              |
| Address                      | Address      | US address required                                                                  |
| Citizenship status           | Selection    | US Citizen, Noncitizen National, Lawful Permanent Resident, Alien Authorized to Work |
| Work authorization documents | Selection    | Varies by citizenship status                                                         |

> \[!TIP]
> Use **compliance rules** on the citizenship status field to conditionally show the correct document upload pages. For example, foreign nationals need different documents than US citizens.

### Recommended page structure

Create separate pages for document uploads based on citizenship status, using compliance rules to route candidates:

* **I-9 Details and Documents** — Collects citizenship status and routes accordingly
* **Date of Birth Confirmation** — Validates DOB matches documents
* **Social Security Number Confirmation** — Validates SSN
* **I-9 Document Upload** — Uploads supporting identity/work authorization documents

***

## Step 2: Set Up Document Upload with OCR

On the document upload page, configure **Document Upload** elements for the accepted I-9 documents:

### List A Documents (Identity + Work Authorization)

* US Passport or Passport Card
* Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
* Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
* Foreign Passport with I-94

### List B + C Documents (Identity + Work Authorization separately)

* **List B**: Driver's license, state ID, school ID
* **List C**: Social Security card, birth certificate, employment authorization document

> \[!TIP]
> Enable **OCR** on document upload elements to automatically extract data from uploaded documents. Use compliance rules to cross-check extracted data (name, DOB, expiry) against the candidate's self-reported information.

Configure each document upload element with:

1. **Enable OCR** — Automatically extract text from uploaded documents
2. **Detect doctored documents** — Flag potentially altered documents
3. **Capture required** — Require camera capture for photo ID documents

***

## Step 3: I-9 Section 2 (Employer Verification)

Create an **I-9 Verification** page that is admin-only (not visible to candidates). This page is where your team verifies the documents presented.

Options for employer verification:

| Method                      | How It Works                                                               |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Manual review**           | Admin reviews uploaded documents and completes Section 2                   |
| **AI Agent (RPA)**          | Automated document verification using AI to validate document authenticity |
| **In-person verification**  | Schedule a physical document inspection using the Scheduler                |
| **Video call verification** | Use the AI Caller to conduct remote document verification                  |

> \[!TIP]
> For remote workers, consider using **I-9 Physical Verification** as a separate page where a remote authorized representative can verify documents in person and confirm via the platform.

***

## Step 4: Connect E-Verify

After I-9 completion, trigger E-Verify case creation automatically using an automation:

### Create an automation

Go to **Automations** and create a new automation linked to your hiring flow.

### Set the trigger

Use a **Form Element Submission** trigger that fires when the I-9 verification page is completed.

### Add E-Verify case creation action

Add an **E-Verify** action that creates a case using the candidate's I-9 data.

### Handle results with follow-up automations

Create additional automations for:

* **Employment Authorized** — Move candidate to the Approved stage
* **Tentative Non-Confirmation (TNC)** — Route to a TNC Resolution page
* **Draft cases** — Auto-submit draft cases on a schedule
* **Photo match** — Fetch and compare E-Verify photos

### Example: E-Verify automation chain

A typical chain of automations to fully automate the E-Verify workflow:

| Automation                  | Purpose                           |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| E-Verify Case Creation      | Creates case after I-9 completion |
| Draft Cases Auto Submission | Submits draft cases automatically |
| Fetch Photo From E-Verify   | Retrieves photo for matching      |
| Photo Match E-Verify Case   | Compares photos and closes case   |
| Close TNC Case Workflow     | Handles TNC resolution            |
| No Action TNC Case Workflow | Handles uncontested TNCs          |

***

## Step 5: Handle State-Specific Requirements

Many US states have additional employment verification requirements beyond federal I-9. Use **Module-type hiring flows** to create reusable state-specific compliance packages:

| Module             | What It Covers                                   |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| State / Ohio       | Ohio-specific employer forms and tax withholding |
| State / Texas      | Texas employment law acknowledgements            |
| State / California | CA meal waiver, paid sick leave notice           |
| State / Florida    | Florida new hire reporting                       |
| State / New York   | NY Wage Theft Prevention Act notice              |

> \[!TIP]
> Use an **Integration** element of type "Hiring Flow Module" on your State Specific Onboarding page. Set up compliance rules to automatically route candidates to the correct state module based on their work location.

***

## Step 6: Set Up Recollection for Expiring Documents

Work authorization documents expire. Set up automated recollection to stay compliant:

### Configure recollection templates

In your hiring flow settings, create recollection templates for document expiry — target the document upload elements (EAD, work permit, etc.).

### Create a scheduled automation

Set up a **Schedule Trigger** automation that runs daily, checks for documents expiring within 90 days, and triggers recollection.

### Set reminder cadence

Configure reminder schedules at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before expiry to ensure candidates re-submit updated documents in time.

***

## Step 7: Push Data to Payroll / ATS

After I-9 and E-Verify are complete, sync the data to your external systems:

| Integration    | Method                                                                                                                    |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **TempWorks**  | Use automations with custom API actions to push I-9 data, employment verification results, and electronic payment details |
| **ADP**        | Use RPA automations to submit WOTC and onboarding data                                                                    |
| **Webhooks**   | Send real-time notifications when candidates reach specific stages                                                        |
| **CSV Export** | Automated CSV append for reporting and audit trails                                                                       |

***

## Best Practices

* **Separate I-9 into distinct pages** - Keep document collection, employer verification, and E-Verify on separate pages for cleaner compliance tracking and audit trails.

  * **Use OCR and AI verification** - Enable OCR on all document uploads and use AI agents to cross-validate extracted data against candidate-entered information.

  * **Automate E-Verify end-to-end** - Chain automations for case creation, photo matching, TNC resolution, and case closure to minimize manual intervention.

  * **Plan for recollection** - Set up expiry-based recollection from day one — don't wait until documents are already expired.