Bill > SB177

This bill requires New Hampshire employers with 25 or more employees to use the E-Verify system, which is a federal online tool operated by the Department of Homeland Security to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees. The bill establishes a comprehensive framework for workplace immigration verification, including definitions of key terms, complaint procedures, and enforcement mechanisms. Under the proposed law, employers must verify each new employee's work authorization through E-Verify and maintain records of these verifications for the duration of employment plus one additional year. The New Hampshire Labor Commissioner is tasked with creating a complaint form that allows individuals to report potential violations, and the commissioner can investigate these complaints, with specific prohibitions against investigations based solely on demographic characteristics. Penalties for non-compliance escalate with repeated violations, starting with an initial order to file a sworn affidavit, then potentially imposing civil penalties of $10,000 for a first violation, $1,000 for a subsequent violation, and $2,000 for each required verification not completed in later instances. The bill also requires the Labor Commissioner to maintain a public database of employers who violate the law and provides a mechanism for appeals. The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and explicitly states that employers are not required to take actions they believe would violate federal or state law.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0336&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB177