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Form I-9 and Tips for a Smooth Onboarding Season

The start of the academic year brings a large influx of new hires to Pitt.

Timely onboarding is essential to ensure compliance with federal requirements and provide a smooth experience for new hires. Completing the Form I-9 is required to verify an employee’s identity and authorization to work in the United States.

HR Client Services offers the following reminders to help departments navigate the process:

Form I-9 Deadlines

• After the employee signs their e-offer, they will receive an emailed link to begin the Form I-9 process.
• Section 1: The employee’s online attestation must be completed on or before the first day of work.
• Section 2: The employee’s documents must be verified in person no later than the third business day after their start date.
• Employees cannot work for more than three days without a complete Form I-9 (BOTH sections) on file.
  • While OHR provides new hires with official I-9 communications, department administrators should stay in contact with employees to help ensure these deadlines are met.

Proper Documentation

See the USCIS list of acceptable I-9 documents. At the Section 2 Form I-9 verification appointment, the new employee must provide either:

• One document from List A verifying both identity and work authorization
  OR
• One document from List B (that verifies identity) AND one document from List C (that establishes work authorization).

More information about the Form I-9 process.

All documentation must be the original, physical documents. Pictures, scans, and copies cannot be used for Form I-9 verification purposes.

This is a common roadblock for student workers who may not have their documents with them on campus. Be sure to communicate documentation requirements early so students can arrive prepared or, if necessary, make arrangements to adjust their start date.

Employees looking for additional onboarding information should visit our newly-revised onboarding website at welcome.pitt.edu.