U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a notice on September 23, 2020, stating that issuance of certain employment authorization documents (EADs) may be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To complete the Form I-9 work authorization verification process, new employees who are waiting for their EADs, and current employees who require reverification, may present certain Forms I-797, Notice of Action, as a List C #7 document issued by the Department of Homeland Security that establishes employment eligibility, even though the notice states it is not evidence of employment authorization, USCIS said. For the notice to be acceptable, it must include a Notice Date issued between December 1, 2019, and August 20, 2020, and indicate that USCIS has approved the employee’s Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Both new and current employees may present this notice to complete the I-9 until December 1, 2020. New employees must also present an acceptable List B identity document.
USCIS said that by December 1, 2020, employers must reverify employees who presented the notice as a List C document. Those employees must present new evidence of employment authorization—either their new EADs or any other acceptable documentation they choose—from either List A or List C.
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