U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) led a group of lawmakers on Friday in introducing the Legal Workforce Act, which would make employment verification of job applicants a mandatory step across the nation.
The bill, in essence, would expand the use of E-Verify, a system created by Calvert over 18 years ago that is already in use, but is currently limited in its overall scope. Employers use the system to check the legal status of newly hired employees. It is web-based and provided for free to employers. The expansion would include development of a mandatory, gradual phase-in for all new hires at all companies (based on size); an increase in civil and criminal penalties for employers who violate the laws prohibiting illegal hiring and employment; a policy allowing individuals to “lock” their own Social Security number, meaning it cannot be used to verify work eligibility; and a safe-harbor exemption for employers who utilize E-Verify in good faith, but still have an eligibility violation.
“One of the biggest reasons so many of my constituents remain concerned about illegal immigration is the fact that individuals who are not authorized to work in our country continue to find jobs,” Calvert said.
“E-Verify is an incredibly useful tool that must be part of our solutions to our immigration challenges,” he said. “I look forward to working with my House colleagues to expand the use of E-Verify and ensure only authorized workers are employed in our country.”
The bill’s co-sponsors include Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Trey Gowdy (R-SC), chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration, among others.