What documents are acceptable?

Acceptable documents depend on the verification purpose. For Form I-9 employers use List A documents or a combination of List B and List C. Choose unexpired government-issued IDs and official authorization documents.

Can identity evidence be collected electronically?

Yes. Electronic collection and e-signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

How long must I keep these records?

Follow the I-9 retention rule: retain for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A)). Also follow industry-specific rules such as HIPAA's six-year retention (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

Is remote notarization acceptable?

Many states permit Remote Online Notarization (RON) with identity proofing and audio-video recording, but requirements and availability vary by state; confirm with the state notary commission.

What if an employee changes their name?

Collect supporting documentation (e.g., marriage certificate) and update identity records promptly to avoid inconsistencies across payroll, tax, and background-check systems.

How do we protect collected identity data?

Use encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access controls, limited retention, and documented audit trails. Implement BAAs if PHI is involved and follow state breach-notification rules.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employment Identity Evidence

Employment Identity Evidence

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

EMPLOYMENT IDENTITY EVIDENCE

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Current Address Telephone Email

Position Information

Job Title Department Reporting Manager Anticipated Start Date Proposed Salary or Pay Rate

Identity Documents Presented

Check all presented documents and complete the fields below for each document provided at the time of hire. Employer must retain documentation as required by employer policy and applicable law.

Document Checklist (select all that apply) Passport Driver's License / State ID Social Security Card Birth Certificate Permanent Resident Card Employment Authorization Document Other (describe below)

Document Details — Item 1

Document Title Issuing Authority Document Number Expiration Date Date Presented Copy Retained by Employer? Yes Verifier Notes

Document Details — Item 2

Document Title Issuing Authority Document Number Expiration Date Date Presented Copy Retained by Employer? Yes Verifier Notes

Employment History (most recent first)

Employer 1

Company Name Job Title Dates Employed Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Employer 2

Company Name Job Title Dates Employed Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree or Certification Institution Graduation or Completion Date

Professional References

Provide three professional references who can verify your employment, duties, and character.

Reference 1 — Name Reference 1 — Phone Reference 1 — Email Reference 1 — Relationship Reference 2 — Name Reference 2 — Phone Reference 2 — Email Reference 2 — Relationship Reference 3 — Name Reference 3 — Phone Reference 3 — Email Reference 3 — Relationship

Legal Disclosures and Authorizations

At-Will Employment: I understand and acknowledge that, unless otherwise specified in a separate signed agreement, my employment is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause or notice.

Equal Opportunity: The employer is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and business needs without discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics.

Authorization: I authorize the employer, its agents and designated third parties to contact previous employers, educational institutions, and references to verify the information I have provided and to perform background checks and identity verification as permitted by law. I further authorize those persons and entities to release to the employer relevant information for employment purposes.

Applicant Certification

I certify that all information and documents provided on this form are true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that providing false information or fraudulent documents is grounds for denial of employment or termination, and may subject me to civil or criminal penalties.

I certify that the foregoing statements are true and the documents presented are genuine.

Employer Verification (To be completed by employer representative)

I attest that I examined the documents presented by the individual named above and that the documents reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to the individual. I have recorded the document information above. The employer retains the right to request additional documentation and to suspend or terminate employment for unsatisfactory verification.

Employer Verifier Name Verifier Title Verification Date Retention Statement

Employee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Employer Representative Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What Employment Identity Evidence Is and when it's used

Employment Identity Evidence is the collection of documents and attestations used by employers to verify a person’s identity and work authorization for hiring, payroll, background checks, and access control. Typical evidence includes government-issued photo IDs, Social Security information, employment authorization documents, and employer attestation forms. This material supports compliance with federal requirements such as Form I-9 obligations and helps organizations maintain an audit trail for hiring decisions, identity verification checks, and ongoing personnel recordkeeping.

Why accurate Employment Identity Evidence matters

Reliable identity evidence reduces legal risk, demonstrates compliance with federal rules like Form I-9, and protects organizations from payroll and access errors. Properly assembled records support audits, mitigate discrimination risks, and preserve documentation required for government inspections or legal challenges.

Primary users and participants

Employers, HR teams, and third-party background vendors commonly collect Employment Identity Evidence during onboarding and eligibility checks.

Human resources teams who onboard new hires and maintain personnel records.
Staffing agencies and background-check providers verifying identity and authorization.
Compliance officers and internal auditors ensuring I-9 and recordkeeping standards.

Accurate evidence benefits both employers and employees by reducing rework and speeding verification while preserving legal defensibility.

Security, privacy, and compliance essentials

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest.

Access controls: Role-based access and audit trail.

HIPAA handling: Use BAA when PHI present.

Authentication: Multi-factor and ID credential analysis.

Auditability: Tamper-evident logs and timestamps.

Retention: Store per legal retention schedules.

Step-by-step: Collecting and recording Employment Identity Evidence

Follow a consistent, documented workflow to collect, verify, and store identity evidence securely.

01

Request documents: Ask the candidate for specified acceptable IDs.
02

Inspect originals: Physically or virtually inspect documents for authenticity.
03

Record details: Capture name, ID type, number, and expiration.
04

Store securely: Save records with access controls and audit trail.

Typical verification workflow from collection to record

A reliable verification flow reduces friction and ensures consistent legal documentation for audits.

Upload: Candidate or verifier uploads images or data.
Authenticate: Verify identity with ID analysis or KBA.
Attest: Employer signs attestation and records findings.
Archive: Store encrypted record with audit log.

Configuring an online Employment Identity Evidence workflow

Configure fields and authentication to match your compliance needs and minimize signer friction.

Field	Configuration
Identity fields	Required text fields, date pickers, and attachments
Authentication	Email, SMS code, KBA, or government ID verification
Conditional rules	Show specific fields based on document type
Audit & retention	Enable audit trail and retention policy enforcement

Digital platforms and technical considerations

Choose a platform that supports required formats, integrations, and authentication methods without adding friction.

Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, image files
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication: SMS, KBA, SSO/SAML options

Ensure the platform meets your compliance needs (HIPAA BAA if PHI involved) and provides a tamper-evident audit trail for each verification event.

Key timing and recordkeeping deadlines to observe

Certain documents and forms have specific timing and retention requirements employers must follow.

Form I-9 completion:

Complete verification per hiring rules; maintain evidence with required retention.

I-9 retention:

Retain for 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A)).

W-9 supply:

Provide W-9 upon request; no fixed federal delivery deadline.

Background checks:

Run with candidate consent and store results per state guidelines and FCRA obligations.

Audit readiness:

Keep evidence accessible for government audits and inspections.

Milestones from hire to audit

Track verification milestones to maintain compliance and simplify audits.

01

Document collection

Obtain candidate IDs and signed attestations at onboarding.

02

Verification completion

Verify documents and complete employer attestation promptly.

03

Secure storage

Archive records with encryption and role-based access.

04

Periodic review

Audit records regularly to confirm completeness and currency.

Common mistakes when assembling Employment Identity Evidence

Collecting photocopies without verifying originals increases risk of fraud and noncompliance and may fail inspection.
Transcribing ID numbers or names introduces typographical errors that delay background checks and tax reporting.
Using inconsistent naming conventions between payroll and identity records creates reconciliation and withholding issues.
Failing to document verifier identity and date of inspection undermines auditability and employer attestation validity.

Potential penalties and legal risks

I-9 penalties: $281–$2,789 per violation for paperwork or substantive errors

Tax and reporting: Incorrect TINs can trigger backup withholding and IRS penalties

FCRA violations: Improper background checks may yield statutory damages

Data breach exposure: Unauthorized disclosure can trigger state breach laws

HIPAA exposure: PHI mishandling may require BAA and penalties

Reputational risk: Compliance failures damage employer trust and hiring

Essential components of professional Employment Identity Evidence records

A complete record combines identity data, document images, verifier attestations, timestamps, and secure storage to meet audit and legal requirements.

Identity data

Full legal name, DOB, and contact information matched to document details and verification checks.

Document images

High-quality scans or photos of presented IDs with visible numbers and expiration dates captured.

Verification method

Indicate manual inspection, automated ID analysis, or knowledge-based authentication used.

Employer attestation

Signed verifier name, title, and date confirming inspection and outcome.

Audit trail

Timestamped logs, IP address, and action history for each verification event.

Retention metadata

Retention period, destruction schedule, and legal basis recorded with the file.

Sample eSignature platform comparison relevant to Employment Identity Evidence workflows

Platforms vary on price, bulk sending, and compliance features. signNow is listed first for direct comparison of capabilities commonly used with identity evidence workflows.

	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 by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about assembling, verifying, and storing Employment Identity Evidence in U.S. employment contexts.

Need help? Contact support

What documents are acceptable?
Acceptable documents depend on the verification purpose. For Form I-9 employers use List A documents or a combination of List B and List C. Choose unexpired government-issued IDs and official authorization documents.
Can identity evidence be collected electronically?
Yes. Electronic collection and e-signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
How long must I keep these records?
Follow the I-9 retention rule: retain for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2(b)(2)(i)(A)). Also follow industry-specific rules such as HIPAA's six-year retention (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
Is remote notarization acceptable?
Many states permit Remote Online Notarization (RON) with identity proofing and audio-video recording, but requirements and availability vary by state; confirm with the state notary commission.
What if an employee changes their name?
Collect supporting documentation (e.g., marriage certificate) and update identity records promptly to avoid inconsistencies across payroll, tax, and background-check systems.
How do we protect collected identity data?
Use encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access controls, limited retention, and documented audit trails. Implement BAAs if PHI is involved and follow state breach-notification rules.

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