E-Verify Privacy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What information does E-Verify collect about me and how is that information used?

E-Verify collects only that personally identifiable information on the employee needed to verify employment eligibility and checks it against data from Federal government databases to verify an employee’s employment eligibility status.

In most cases, the information collected is the same information which is collected in the Form I-9 all new hires are required to fill out when beginning a new job.  A Privacy Act notice in the Form I-9 instructions and the E-Verify SORN describe the collection and use of the employee’s information.

What if information about me is wrong - can I fix inaccurate information about myself in E-Verify?
 If E-Verify is unable to automatically verify an individual’s status in order to authorize employment, a Status Verifier will manually review the information and conduct searches of other Federal government databases and, where necessary, will update any underlying information contained within the various DHS databases queried.

After a result is returned on an employment authorization query, E-Verify provides two methods of information correction and redress for employees.  If an employee receives a Tentative Non Confirmation, or TNC, they may correct their information through the Social Security Administration (SSA) or DHS. 

After the verification process is complete, individuals have the opportunity to access and correct their information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) process. 

How does E-Verify use my information and how long is it kept?

Information collected by E-Verify may only be used for the employment eligibility purpose of the    E-Verify Program or for purposes that directly support the program such as prevention of misuse and fraud, program analysis, and outreach. 

All E-Verify information is retained for a period of ten years to coincide with the statute of limitations for most types of misuse or fraud possible using E-Verify. 

Who does E-Verify share my information with?

E-Verify will only share information for those purposes outlined in the E-Verify SORN, specifically including sharing for law enforcement purposes. 

What is E-Verify doing to protect my information?

Because of the sensitivity of the information collected and used by E-Verify an extensive set of technical, operational, and physical security controls have been implemented to protect E-Verify information.  Examples include:

• User specific accounts and complex passwords that must be changed often to access the system;
• User accounts that are locked after several failed attempts to logon;
• Active session timeouts within the E-Verify interface;
• Data encryption within the system;
• HTTPS protected communications during all data transmissions between the employer’s workstation and the system; 
• Procedures that ensure any potential breaches of information are reported within one hour of being found.

In addition, E-Verify stores information on employer users who submit queries, when the query was processed, what the response was, who receives the response, and when the response was received. 

E-Verify users are required to abide by all security and privacy requirements as agreed to when they enroll in E-Verify.  Attempts to evade the security controls can result in loss of access to E-Verify.