Can I complete an I-9 electronically?

Yes, electronic completion is allowed when the e-signature process meets ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements and the platform preserves an auditable record of intent, attribution, consent, and retention.

Is remote notarization required?

Not typically for employee eligibility forms; notarization is generally unnecessary. Remote online notarization rules vary by state and are relevant only if your workflow or state requires notarized attestations.

How long must these records be kept?

I-9 records must be retained three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2). Other industry rules, such as HIPAA, may require longer retention.

Are photocopies acceptable for document evidence?

Federal rules allow employers to inspect original documents. Some remote workflows permit follow-up procedures; verify your chosen method complies with federal guidance and any applicable temporary flexibilities.

What happens if Section 2 is late?

Late employer review can create exposure during audits; document the reason for delay, remedial steps taken, and consult counsel for corrective action to mitigate penalty risk.

Can an e-signature be rejected in an audit?

An e-signature may be questioned if it lacks proof of signer intent, consent, attribution, or retention. Maintain a complete audit trail and ensure ESIGN/UETA criteria are satisfied.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Eligibility Information

Employee Eligibility Information

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYEE ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Other Names Used (if any) Current Address

Phone

Email

Date of Birth

Social Security Number

Position Information

Job Title Department

Reporting Manager

Proposed Start Date

Salary / Pay Rate

Employment Type (check all that apply) Full-time Part-time Temporary Contractor

Citizenship and Work Authorization

Please indicate the basis on which you are authorized to work in this country. Select all boxes that apply and provide documentation details below.

U.S. Citizen Permanent Resident / Lawful Permanent Resident Non-citizen authorized to work

If non-citizen authorized to work, expiration date of authorization

Documentation presented for identity and employment authorization. Record document title, issuing authority, document number and expiration (if any). Retain copies per employer policy.

Document 1 — Document Title Issuing Authority

Document Number

Expiration Date

Document 2 — Document Title Issuing Authority

Document Number

Expiration Date

Document 3 — Document Title Issuing Authority

Document Number

Expiration Date

Employment History

Provide your most recent employment first. Include supervisors and primary responsibilities.

Employer 1 — Company Name Address

Job Title

Start Date

End Date

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Employer 2 — Company Name Address

Job Title

Start Date

End Date

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree or Certification Institution Graduation Date Additional Training or Certifications

Professional References

List three professional references who can attest to your qualifications and work history.

Reference 1 — Name

Phone

Email

Relationship

Reference 2 — Name

Phone

Email

Relationship

Reference 3 — Name

Phone

Email

Relationship

Legal Disclosures

At-Will Employment: Employment with the employer is at-will, which means that either the employee or the employer may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any lawful reason, with or without cause or prior notice, unless a separate written agreement signed by an authorized representative expressly provides otherwise.

Equal Opportunity: The employer provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request where required by law.

Authorization and Applicant Certification

By signing below, I certify under penalty of law that the information provided on this form is true, accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that misrepresentation or omission of material facts may result in denial of employment or, if employed, discipline or termination. I authorize the employer to verify any information I have provided, to contact previous employers, educational institutions and listed references, and to obtain investigative and consumer reports, including criminal background checks and employment verification, where permitted by law.

I authorize background checks and employment verification as described above.

I authorize the employer to contact previous employers and references listed in this form.

I understand that completion of this form does not guarantee employment or continued employment. Any offer of employment may be conditioned on verification of eligibility and completion of required screenings and documentation.

Applicant Printed Name:

Signature:

Date:

What the Employee Eligibility Information Is

The Employee Eligibility Information is a personnel record used to document a new hire's authorization to work in the United States. It typically collects identifying details, citizenship or immigration status, and copies of identity and employment-authorization documents. For many employers this falls under Form I-9 requirements and related verification workflows; the document supports compliance with federal immigration law while creating an auditable record of the employer's verification steps.

Why accurate Employee Eligibility Information matters

Correct and timely completion reduces legal risk, supports hiring audits, and preserves an auditable chain showing employer verification. It helps meet federal requirements and protects both employer and employee from avoidable penalties.

Who prepares and relies on Employee Eligibility Information

Human resources, hiring managers, and compliance staff are the primary users who collect and verify eligibility details for new hires.

HR and Talent Acquisition teams: gather documents, complete employer review, and store verification records securely.
Hiring managers and on-site supervisors: coordinate document presentation and confirm identity for on-site hires.
Compliance officers and auditors: review records during internal audits or external inspections for regulatory compliance.

Accurate records reduce audit exposure and make it easier to defend hiring decisions during compliance reviews.

Step-by-step completion process

Follow these discrete steps to collect, verify, and retain Employee Eligibility Information with minimal errors and a clear audit trail.

01

Gather documents: Ask the employee to present acceptable identity and work-authorization documents.
02

Employee completes Section 1: Employee provides personal information and signs the attestation.
03

Employer completes review: Employer inspects documents and records details within three business days of hire.
04

Store records securely: Keep the record per retention rules and make accessible for inspection.

Typical electronic workflow for submission

An e-submission workflow lets employers collect information, verify documents, and create an audit record without paper handling.

Upload template: Upload the eligibility form as a PDF or DOCX.
Place fields: Add name, DOB, document number, and signature fields.
Send to signer: Email or secure link invites the employee to complete Section 1.
Capture audit trail: System stores timestamps, IP, and actions for compliance.

Suggested digital workflow settings

Configure the platform to match verification, retention, and authentication needs for Employee Eligibility Information.

Field	Configuration
Authentication method	Email link, SMS code, or stronger KBA depending on risk
Template	Use a locked template to prevent field changes
Auto-fill rules	Map HRIS data to reduce manual entry errors
Retention policy	Set automatic archival per federal retention rules

Platform and format considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure storage, audit trails, and the file formats your organization uses.

File formats: PDF, DOCX supported
Integrations: HRIS and cloud storage integrations
Authentication: SMS, KBA, SSO options

Key timing and processing expectations

Observe statutory timelines for review, filing, and retention to avoid penalties and ensure record admissibility.

Section 2 verification:

Complete within three business days of the hire date (federal requirement).

Section 1 completion:

Employee must complete Section 1 by first day of employment.

Reverification:

Reverify when employment authorization expires.

E-Verify timing:

Follow E-Verify employer case completion deadlines where applicable.

Access for inspection:

Produce records promptly for government inspection requests.

Milestones in the verification lifecycle

Track these milestones from hiring through retention to keep the verification process auditable and timely.

01

Hire date

Employee begins employment and must complete Section 1.

02

Document review

Employer reviews and records document details within three business days.

03

Reverification trigger

Occurs before the employee's authorization expiration date.

04

Record retention

Store records per federal retention requirements after termination.

Security and compliance features to verify

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256

HIPAA readiness: BAA required for protected health data

Audit trails: Complete event logs retained

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

FDA / 21 CFR: 21 CFR Part 11 compliance available

Penalties and legal risks of incorrect records

I-9 paperwork: $281–$2,789 per violation (8 CFR §274a.2)

Intentional disregard: Higher fines and enforcement exposure

Backup withholding: 24% withholding for incorrect TIN

Audit findings: Civil penalties and remedial actions

Discrimination claims: Improper document requests risk litigation

Record destruction: Obstructs defense in audits or investigations

Common mistakes to avoid

Accepting photocopies without permitted receipt or inspection can lead to noncompliance and inspection findings.
Entering inconsistent name or SSN data between payroll and eligibility records increases audit risk and backup withholding triggers.
Delaying employer review beyond three business days violates verification timing requirements and creates exposure.
Failing to retain records for the required post-termination period can prevent defense against government penalties.

Comparing eSignature pricing and core limits

Price and plan features vary; signNow is listed first for reference. Confirm plan details and billing cadence with each vendor before purchase.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Practical tips for accurate, efficient completion

Adopt consistent intake processes and platform controls to reduce errors and speed verification.

Standardize templates

Use locked templates to prevent field changes, and prefill known employee data from HRIS to reduce manual entry errors and mismatches.

Train staff

Ensure HR and hiring managers know which documents are acceptable and the three-day verification window to avoid untimely reviews.

Preserve audit trails

Keep tamper-evident audit logs with timestamps, IP addresses, and user actions to support inspections and internal audits.

Review retention

Apply federal retention baselines and update policies for state-specific extensions or industry regulations.

Real-world examples of electronic verification in onboarding

These examples show how organizations combined digital forms and e-signatures to streamline employee eligibility checks and preserve compliance records.

Optica Ventures

The team standardized onboarding forms to reduce manual errors.

They used a centralized template for all hires.
As a result, verification became auditable and consistent across locations, reducing rework and improving readiness for inspections and payroll setup.

Fertility Centers of Illinois

The organization adopted mobile-ready verification for onsite clinicians.

Mobile workflows captured documents and signatures.
This enabled secure storage, quicker onboarding of temporary staff, and retained complete audit trails for credentialing and compliance reviews.

Primary signers and approvers

HR Manager

Human resources managers typically review identity and work-authorization documents, complete the employer review section, and maintain retention schedules. They coordinate audits and ensure verifications meet federal requirements.

Compliance Officer

Compliance officers oversee policy, confirm that processes align with ESIGN and UETA standards, and manage corrective actions following audits or government inquiries.

Frequently asked questions about Employee Eligibility Information

Answers to common questions about e-signing, retention, and employer responsibilities for Employee Eligibility Information.

Need help? Contact support

Can I complete an I-9 electronically?
Yes, electronic completion is allowed when the e-signature process meets ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements and the platform preserves an auditable record of intent, attribution, consent, and retention.
Is remote notarization required?
Not typically for employee eligibility forms; notarization is generally unnecessary. Remote online notarization rules vary by state and are relevant only if your workflow or state requires notarized attestations.
How long must these records be kept?
I-9 records must be retained three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2). Other industry rules, such as HIPAA, may require longer retention.
Are photocopies acceptable for document evidence?
Federal rules allow employers to inspect original documents. Some remote workflows permit follow-up procedures; verify your chosen method complies with federal guidance and any applicable temporary flexibilities.
What happens if Section 2 is late?
Late employer review can create exposure during audits; document the reason for delay, remedial steps taken, and consult counsel for corrective action to mitigate penalty risk.
Can an e-signature be rejected in an audit?
An e-signature may be questioned if it lacks proof of signer intent, consent, attribution, or retention. Maintain a complete audit trail and ensure ESIGN/UETA criteria are satisfied.

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