Navigating the Impact of Florida’s New E-Verify Mandate: Ensuring compliance and maximizing efficiency

Laura Foote Reiff | Greenberg Traurig LLP

Laura Foote Reiff has more than 32 years of experience representing businesses and organizations in the business immigration and compliance field. She is also a business immigration advocate and has long chaired prominent business immigration coalitions. Laura is Co-Founder of GT’s Business and Immigration and Compliance Group which she co-led since 1999. She currently chairs the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C. Immigration and Compliance Practice. Laura is also Co-Managing Shareholder of the Northern Virginia Office of GT, a position she has held since 2010. As a global leader in the business immigration community, Laura has served on the Boards of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the American Immigration Council, the National Immigration Forum and is currently the Chair of the America is Better Board.

Laura advises corporations on a variety of compliance-related issues, particularly related to Form I-9 eligibility employment verification matters. Laura has been involved in audits and internal investigations and has successfully minimized monetary exposure as well as civil and criminal liabilities on behalf of her clients. She develops immigration compliance strategies and programs for both small and large companies. Laura performs I-9, H-1B and H-2B compliance inspections during routine internal reviews, while performing due diligence (in the context of a merger, acquisition or sale) or while defending a company against a government investigation.

Laura represents many businesses in creating, managing and using “Regional Centers” that can create indirect jobs toward the 10 new U.S. jobs whose creation can give rise to EB-5 permanent residence for investment. She coordinates this work with attorneys practicing in securities law compliance, with economists identifying “targeted employment areas” and projecting indirect job creation, and with licensed securities brokers coordinating offerings. She also represents individual investors in obtaining conditional permanent residence and in removing conditions from permanent residence.

Laura’s practice also consists of managing business immigration matters and providing immigration counsel to address the visa and work authorization needs of U.S. and global personnel including professionals, managers and executives, treaty investors/ traders, essential workers, persons of extraordinary ability, corporate trainees, and students. She is an immigration policy advocacy expert and works on immigration reform policies.

Concentrations

• Immigration advocacy
• Compliance and worksite enforcement
• I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
• Permanent and temporary international transfers of personnel
• Obtaining U.S. nonimmigrant visas, including professional visas (H-1B), intracompany transferee visa (L-1), treaty trader/investor visas (E-1/E-2), student visas (F-1), scholar and exchange visas (J-1), cultural visas (Q), and extraordinary ability/artist/athlete visas (O and P)
• Compliance with Export control requirements
• Naturalization
• Outbound assistance with visa needs in other countries
• Litigation
• Advice concerning withholding of social security and taxation of foreign nationals and corporations
• Corporate restructurings
• Immigration Status of Foreign National Workplace
• Global human capital solutions

I. Resume of the E-Verify system itself, explaining how it functions and its role in the employment eligibility verification process | 10:00am – 10:15am

II. Discuss the specific requirements outlined in the Florida Bill, including the threshold for affected employers and the penalties for non-compliance | 10:15am – 10:30am

III. Explore the potential benefits and challenges associated with the implementation of E-Verify for employers, examining its impact on hiring practices, onboarding procedures, and overall HR operations. We will highlight strategies and best practices for maximizing efficiency and minimizing disruptions during the transition | 10:30am – 10:45am

IV. Address important considerations related to data security, privacy concerns, and potential pitfalls to be aware of when integrating E-Verify into existing HR systems. Our goal is to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to ensure compliance with the new E-Verify mandate, while streamlining their hiring processes and maintaining a strong workforce | 10:45am – 11:00am