Executive Summary
Overview: Effective August 10, 2016, Colorado employers are no longer required to complete and retain the Colorado Affirmation Form, confirming that they have examined whether a new hire is authorized to work in the United States.
Effective Date: August 10, 2016
Coverage: All employers with employees working in Colorado.
Action Required: Colorado employers should discontinue use and retention of the Affirmation Form.
The Details
On January 1, 2007, Colorado began requiring employers to affirm that they:
- Have examined the legal work status of the newly hired employee;
- Retained copies of the documents used to verify the new hire’s identity and employment authorization under federal law;
- Have not altered or falsified the employee's identification documents; and
- Have not knowingly hired an unauthorized worker.
The law required employers to complete the affirmation within 20 days of hiring the employee and keep the affirmation for the duration of the employee’s employment.
As of August 10, 2016, Colorado employers are no longer required to complete and retain the affirmation. However, all employers must still complete and retain the federal I-9 Form. As such, Colorado employers should discontinue use of the Affirmation Form and continue to ensure completion and retention of the federal I-9 Form, which is used to verify a new hire’s identity and authorization to work in the United States. More information on how to complete the I-9 Form can be found here.
As always, please be sure to contact your Human Resources Business partner if you have any questions.