Blog Post: Stimulus Package Escapes E-Verify... for now

One would be hard-pressed to find someone unaware that the government is currently trying to pass a stimulus bill to help jump start our economy.  However, finding someone fully aware of the specific details outlined in both versions of the bill (i.e. House and Senate versions) might prove more difficult. 

The New York Times reported that the two versions of the stimulus overlap on "90-plus percent" of the issues.  But after the Senate passes their version today, a conference committee will begin drafting a final version of the bill, making the necessary compromises on the other 10 percent of the issues. 

It is in this 10 percent where employers and HR professionals can find a signicant difference between the two bills.  The House version of the stimulus plan included the following stipulation:

SEC. 1114.  REQUIRED PARTICIPATION IN E-VERIFY PROGRAM.
None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to enter into a contract with an entity that does not participate in the E-Verify program described in section 401(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note).

This provision was removed from the Senate version of the bill, but it could be reinstated as compromises are discussed later this week.

E-Verify is the federal government's program for verifying online new hires' authorization to work in the US. President Obama has put on hold until May a Bush Administration Executive Order that would required all federal contractors to utilize the system.