Complying with construction industry regulations is vital to preserving your company’s reputation. The price for one mistake extends beyond fines, as reputational damage can cause you to lose potential bids, and compounded infractions can even cost you your license.
But, just like the construction industry, laws evolve constantly, challenging contractors to stay current and compliant. Florida’s new E-Verify law underscores the importance of tracking regulatory changes and adapting business practices to minimize risk.
Although it’s been in use since 1996, in May, the state’s legislature expanded the mandatory use of the web-based system to public and private employers with at least 25 employees. This change could result in major repercussions for the specialty trade industry, which currently ranks fourth among industries that most use E-Verify.
E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to confirm that the person are authorized to work in the United States. Participation in E-Verify is required of some employers by contracts or local laws, but many employers choose to participate on their own.
To read the rest of this story on our sister publication, Construction Dive, click here. The author of this story is Kim Coan, manager of account management at Arcoro, a human resources solutions provider for the construction industry, as well as secretary of the Greater Des Moines, Iowa, chapter of the National Association of Women In Construction. Opinions are the author’s.
