roger wrote:LittleBitty wrote:To answer your question as to how I know that we do not hire illegal workers, this is is something in which we take great pride. We hire only temps and those temps can become permanent in their postions. The temp agency's computer system is tied into the SS office in some manner. When they enter a SS number that isn't valid, they have a window that pops up telling them to call the SS office.
I am familiar with the process. The first thing you should be aware of is that it is illegal to verify SSNs prior to hiring. I have what you might call "serious issues" with this, but that's the way it is. Furthermore, you can't take adverse action based on information from SSA regarding either a nonexistant number, or a number that fails to match the name. If this sounds stupid to you, well, it does to me too.
I've seen and touched SS cards that were obviously made on very light-weight copy paper in the past. Other documents, and drug testing are performed and examined prior to any temp hire. Additionally, any stolen or duplicate numbers are also caught in some manner.
What other documents? If you are presented with an I-9 document that meets the standards (resident alien card for example) of Column A, that's all you are entitled to. If you receive a Column A document, you are simply not allowed to demand more. In this case, as an employer, you are simply not permitted to demand a Social Security Card. Period. As an employer, you should be aware of this. The system sucks, but what can I say? Now, if you do not receive such a document, then you must, and I say must, demand a document for both Column B and Column C on the I-9. The SS Card is acceptable for column B.
We have production lines that take up three huge buildings and we'd rather raise prices and protect our existing workers than to explore any other avenues that might be available to us. There is also an employee referral program that has worked well for us, and the employee benefits from each referral.
Good. So long as your company demographics are more or less similar to that of similar companies, you are probably not open to charges of illegal discrimination in hiring
Truely, it sounds as though Immigration and Naturalization has conspired with the Social Security Administration to put the employer in the position of "Damned if you do; damned if you don't.
Thank you for the information. I'll pass it on to our Human Resources Department just in case we have any outstanding issues to address, but HR has assured the holding company that owns us (and everyone else in the company) that they have 100% compliance to the holding company's request of no illegal workers.
Granted, things weren't always this way, but we had a few things working in our favor that unfortunately, I can't discuss in detail.
When the holding company first bought us, a list was sent out, and on this list were individuals that had 30 days to get their paperwork in order or they had to leave. More lists followed. They are all gone, every one of them.
New hires, may last one shift, and be gone the next day, so I guess technically, we may have a temp that is illegal, but I guess (?) they wouldn't be asked to return. It was a revolving door for a long period of time, but soon, we no longer had applicants showing up in droves.
From what I can see, there must be some sort of loophole if you use temps? I honestly don't know the answer to that question though. I just know there is a big difference in the caliber of workers we now have employed at our facility be it right or wrong.
