Verify Your Job Applicant’s Identity
Job applicants are required to provide certain types of documentation to verify their identity and are part of the employment verification process. In many cases, employers tend to ask for a driver’s license and social security card, which is sufficient. With identity theft running rampant throughout the nation, it is wise to get as many documents as you can to verify the job applicant’s identity and confirm they are telling the truth so you know that the person who is applying for a position in your company is really the person and not someone else.
Legible copies of a state-issued driver’s license and social security card are the most popular forms of identification. One way to know you have a legitimate copy is to make the photocopy yourself. Having the applicant provide copies or having them faxed could be problematic since the originals may be damaged and any further copying could make the copies unreliable.
The driver’s license is also important because you know the applicant is permitted to legally drive. Positions such as operating a tractor trailer or making deliveries would constitute a requirement to have a valid driver’s license and verifying this information would be critical prior to offering the position to your applicant.
Another important document is a birth certificate. An original or certified copy can be used to verify an applicant’s date of birth and true name as it appears on the application. Of course the name could be different if the applicant married or legally changed the name.
A Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card) is another form of identification that can be used in verifying your applicant’s identity. If the applicant has no proven address history and is coming from a foreign country to seek employment in the US, they must show this card as it establishes an immigrant’s legal presence and right to work. More to come on this topic in a future blog.
Legible copies of pay-stubs, bills/mortgage statements, and any legitimate piece of information bearing the applicant’s name and address can be used in conjunction with above-mentioned documents. They are not to be substituted for the driver’s license and social security card as these forms of identification are the most important since they can legally verify your applicant’s identity.
To legally comply with the federal government’s standards on employment eligibility, you can download a copy of the I-9 form that is provided to employers by the Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Services. You can download the most recent copy from our Resources section.
Tags: employment verification, I-9