TENNESSEE
E-VERIFY LEGISLATION GUIDE

This information was last updated on January 12, 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: The following is presented as general educational information. It is not legal advice, either express or implied. Consultation with legal counsel is recommended for all employment law matters. This information is subject to change without notice.

Effective Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Status: Enacted June 6, 2011
Impact: Tennessee's House Bill 1378, "The Lawful Employment Act," requires employers to either enroll in E-Verify to verify the work authorization of all new hires and maintain results for those individuals or request and retain a copy of one of the following documents:

  • A valid Tennessee driver license or photo identification license issued by the department of safety;
  • A valid driver license or photo identification license issued by another state where the issuance requirements are at least as strict as those in Tennessee, as determined by the department of safety;
  • An official birth certificate issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction or territory;
  • A U.S. government-issued certified birth certificate;
  • A valid, unexpired U.S. passport;
  • A U.S. certificate of birth abroad;
  • A report of birth abroad of a citizen of the U.S.;
  • A certificate of citizenship;
  • A certificate of naturalization;
  • A U.S. citizen identification card; or
  • Valid alien registration documentation or other proof of current immigration registration recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that contains the individual's complete legal name and current alien admission number or alien file number.

For private employers, the law is implemented in three phases:

  • Effective January 1, 2012: Employers with more than 500 employees.
  • Effective July 1, 2012: Employers with 200 to 499 employees.
  • Effective January 1, 2013: Employers with 6 to 199 employees.
  • Employers with less than 6 employees will not have to use E-Verify.

Additional Information:
Bill Text