Citing COVID-19, USCIS has been experiencing significant delays in issuing EAD cards. USCIS has therefore announced that I-797 approvals with a notice of action date from December 1, 2019 to August 20, 2020 are acceptable as documentation to satisfy work eligibility for I-9 purposes.
Employers should note that I-797 approvals can only be used to satisfy work eligibility, and not identity. If an I-797 approval is used for work eligibility, the employee must also present a List B document to prove identity. By December 1, 2020, employers must re-verify any employee who presented an I-797 approval.
We will continue to provide updates on changes to the I-9 process due to the pandemic. In the meantime, please contact your Graham Adair attorney with any questions.