07-20-11

Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) offers E-Verify Assistance

By Christopher Solop


In an article published on June 9, 2011, by Brenda Redfern, employers were reminded that effective July 1, 2011, the Mississippi Employment Protection Act requires all Mississippi businesses to E-Verify all new employees. In conjunction with this statutory mandate, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (“MDES”) has announced it will E-Verify any prospective employees for employers who are looking to retain workers through MDES.  Click here to see the article published regarding this e-verify service in the Mississippi Business Journal on July 18, 2011.  An employer simply has to place a job order with MDES by calling 888-844-3511 or contacting a WIN Job Center. MDES will send a list of prospective employees, all of whom will be E-Verified. When an individual is hired, the employer simply notifies MDES and it will send an official “Certification of I-9 Completion” to the employer. This service can assist contractors in identifying potential employees and save many administrative hours and headaches.

In addition, MDES has also agreed to implement a process it calls “reversal referrals”. This is where an employer identifies a prospective employee and can send him/her to a WIN Job Center where the individual is E-Verified. The name of the individual is sent back to the prospective employer by MDES and, if hired, MDES will send the required certification. Employees that use MDES for E-Verification may relieve themselves from potential liability under the Mississippi Employment Protection Act.

Contractors should consider taking advantage of this free service by MDES in these difficult economic times.