Effective September 8, 2009, all federal contractors and subcontractors will be required to use "E-Verify," the Internet-based employment verification system, to check the status of new and existing employees assigned to a federal/subcontract containing the E-Verify clause.   Under the final rule, UCSB, along with other Institutions of Higher Education, is required to enroll in E-Verify when awarded a federal contract or subcontract that requires participation in E-Verify as a term of the contract.  The work eligibility only of those newly hired, and existing employees hired after November 6, 1986 (including transferred employees), who are assigned to a qualified covered federal contract/subcontract (NOT GRANTS) that contains the E-Verify clause will need to submit to the E-Verify process.  This is based upon an exemption in the final rule for Institutions of Higher Education and is in contrast to most other federal contractors, who are required to E-Verify the work eligibility of all existing employees on the federal contract, and all new hires.

The E-Verify system is operated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA).  E-Verify electronically compares information contained on the Form I-9 with records contained in the Social Security Administration (SSA) and DHS databases to verify the identity and employment eligibility of employees working on federal government contracts and subcontracts.