On Monday, North Carolina began requiring use of the E-Verify system for employers with between 25 and 99 employees. This date marks the last step in the implementation of mandatory E-Verify for employers with 25 or more employees. The new law is intended to reduce the number of illegal workers employed in North Carolina by requiring that employers use the Department of Homeland Security database instead of solely relying upon often falsified Social Security numbers or other documentation.

If an applicant is rejected under E-Verify, he or she has up to eight days to clear up the discrepancy. While the North Carolina Department of Labor will not immediately begin auditing employers for proper E-Verify use, it will respond to complaints about failure to implement the new rules. NCDOL has the authority to issue civil fines in the event of non-compliance.