Employers should expect the release of a new Form I-9 by November 22, 2016.  In August, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the revised Form I-9, but employers may still use the existing form (revision date: 3/8/2013) until January 21, 2017.  After that date, all previous versions will be considered invalid.  The latest version of the Form I-9 will have an expiration date of August 31, 2019.

It has been reported that the proposed changes are intended to help employers reduce technical errors for which they may be fined.  The new Form I-9 will still need to be printed and signed, and there will still be no option available to complete the form entirely electronically.

The Department of Justice has announced in the Federal Register inflationary adjustments to civil monetary penalties, including fines for I-9 violations, which have increased dramatically.  For example, the minimum fine for a Form I-9 paperwork violation is increasing from $110 to $216 as of August 1, with the maximum fine increasing from $1,100 to $2,156 per violation.  A complete list of adjustments can be found on the Federal Register website: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/06/30/2016-15528/civil-monetary-penalties-inflation-adjustment