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Continuing Immigrant Worker Crackdown Mandates Background Checks

For quite some time there was a common defense regarding the recruiting of undocumented workers. The refrain went something like, “Undocumented workers will do the jobs that most American citizens are unwilling to do.” That may have been the case before the economic downturn, but now with the recession in full tilt it is arguable whether laid off American citizens would turn their noses up at any work.

Meanwhile, federal crackdowns continue as public sentiment and, perhaps, economic necessity cause Federal officials to explore new levels of vigilance. According to the Los Angeles Times, Federal officials just notified 650 businesses around the country that they will be audited to check for their hiring illegal immigrants.   Five hundred of those businesses are in Los Angeles alone.  Rather than merely raid factories, the Obama administration has a new program to hold the employer’s responsible.  the audits are part of that effort.

Any business that hires illegal immigrants is breaking the law, whether they do so wittingly or not.  It is not our desire to take a position regarding the benefits or deficits related to hiring undocumented workers.   But employers should bear in mind that hiring illegal immigrants can lead to severe penalties, including fines and plant closures and, possibly, the loss of the business license.   This is no joke.  Not should the public relations repurcussions be passed off lightly, what with so many legitimate employees out on the streets.

It is prudent for employers to run background checks to verify a worker’s legitimacy.  The two most common forms of verification are the Social Security Trace and the I-9, which can be conducted electronically through E-Verify.  To not conduct these background searches in this economic climate, especially, is a bad idea.

Check them out before you hire.

By Gordon Basichis

Gordon Basichis is the Co-Founder of Corra Group, specializing in pre-employment background checks and corporate research. He has been a marketing and media executive and has worked in the entertainment industry, the financial, health care and technology sectors. He is the author of the best selling Beautiful Bad Girl, The Vicki Morgan Story, a non-fiction novel that helped define exotic sexuality in the late twentieth century. He is the author of the Constant Travellers and has recently completed a new book, The Guys Who Spied for China, dealing with Chinese Espionage in the United States. He has been a journalist for several newspapers and is a screenwriter and producer.