The Virginia General Assembly this session passed a law which has been signed by the Governor, requiring most state contractors to use the federal E-Verify program to check the immigration status of their employees. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows employers to check the eligibility of an employee to work in the United States. It combines databases of the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration.
The new Virginia law applies to any company that has more than 50 employees and enters into a state contract of more than $50,000. Although the law does not go into effect until December 1, 2013, state contractors should become familiar with the E-Verify program, and may use it sooner if they so choose.
