As some of you may have noticed, the current Employment Eligibility Verification Form, commonly referred to as Form I-9, expires Aug. 31, 2012. At this point as an employer, what should you do and what can you do?

All employers are required to obtain a completed I-9 form from all new employees, and retain that document for three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment is terminated, whichever is later. The form must be available for inspection by authorized U.S. Government officials (e.g., Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, Department of Justice).

At the time of today, USCIS has not issued an updated or replacement form. In the past, the USCIS has allowed the use of the expired I-9 form until a replacement form is announced. Employers should continue to use the current Form I-9, which is available on the USCIS website.

All employers should stay up to date with the expiration of federal and state documents when it involves new hires, current employees, and changes to existing forms.