Legal Workforce Act

Bill: 117-hr-78
Sponsor: Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]
Introduced: 2021-01-04 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Border security and unlawful immigration
Computer security and identity theft
Department of Homeland Security
Employee hiring
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal preemption
Foreign labor
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Immigration status and procedures
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Personnel records
Photography and imaging
Public contracts and procurement
State and local government operations
Telephone and wireless communication
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: 

Legal Workforce Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after and to replace the E-Verify system, which allows employers and recruiters to verify the immigration status of individuals. The bill also mandates the use of such a system, where currently only some employers, such as those with federal contracts, are required to use E-Verify.
 
The bill specifies documents that can establish an individual's identity and employment authorization. During the period starting when a job offer is made until three business days after hiring, the individual must attest to his or her employment authorization, and the employer or recruiter must attest that it has examined the individual's required documents.
 
Employers shall reverify certain types of employees who were not previously verified using E-verify.
 
The Social Security Administration shall notify employees if their Social Security number has been used multiple times in an unusual manner. DHS shall establish programs for blocking and suspending misused numbers.
 
Employers that are required to use the verification system shall not be liable for any employment-related action based on a good-faith reliance on the information from the system.
 
The bill establishes a phased-in participation deadline for different categories of employers, including agricultural employers.
 
The bill increases civil penalties related to hiring individuals without work authorization. It also preempts state laws relating to hiring and employment eligibility verification, but states may use their authority of business licensing to penalize employers for failing to comply with the bill's provisions.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-01-04
text: Introduced in House