Event Details

Please RSVP to reservations@midhudsonhr.org by Friday, September 7th!

Otieno Ombok is our presenter this month.  He is a Partner in the White Plains office of Jackson Lewis LLP.  A graduate of Cambridge University in Britain, Mr. Ombok advises both U.S. and foreign employers with regard to immigration matters.  He works closely with employers to structure their immigration programs and develop long-term visa strategies for key employees.  He has experience in obtaining non-immigrant work visas and employment-based immigrant visas for management, professional and specialized skill employees. In addition, he advises on I-9 compliance, E-Verify, and foreign country immigration laws and visa procedures.  Mr. Ombok received his Master of Laws (LLM 1996) degree from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Laws (LL.B 1994) 1st Class Honors degree from the University of Nairobi. He has lectured on business and commercial law at university level in Africa and promoted education, democracy and governance programs in Africa.  Mr. Ombok is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Kenya bar association, and a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society

This presentation will provide an update on recent developments in immigration law impacting U.S. employers with particular emphasis on immigration compliance and I-9 best practices.  We will discuss the new I-9 changes and E-Verify.  Finally, we will cover what employers need to do to ensure immigration compliance in a changing environment.  

Immigration compliance continues to pose difficult challenges to employers.  The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires all U.S. employers to verify the identity and employment authorization status of all employees hired after November 6, 1986.  This verification is performed by requiring all new hires to complete Section 1 of Form I-9 and present documentation confirming their identity and authorization to work in the U.S. which the employer must record in Section 2 of Form I-9.  Employers have long found I-9 compliance as enticing as a visit to the dentist.  Over the past year, the I-9 process has come to resemble root-canal work.  The situation has been exacerbated by recently introduced changes. There are now two versions of the Form I-9 in use and employers can no longer accept expired documents.  More significantly, DHS has reviewed the nation’s immigration worksite enforcement strategy focused on employer I-9 audits, civil fines and criminal prosecutions of employers engaged in egregious violations.

1. To educate HR professionals on the recent changes on the I-9 employment eligibility verification requirements

2. To inform participants of ICE new worksite enforcement strategy focused on criminal indictments and prosecutions against employers who knowingly hire or employ undocumented workers.

3. To provide an overview of E-Verify and the new federal contractor E-Verify Rule.

1.5 hours of HRCI credit has been granted for this program.

A big thank you to this month's sponsor!