Attachment C2 - Focus Group Nonusers

ATTACHMENT C: SET 2—DRAFT OF FOCUS GROUP NOTES FOR SURVEY OF NONUSERS

• Temporary Employment

• Industry Representatives

• Large Employers

• Small Employers

NON-USER Web Survey Focus Group Script

Temporary and Employment Services Agencies

(Thursday, February 19, 2009, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST)

Note Takers Template

Participant 1: – CA, 180 employees, medical staffing for nursing

Participant 2: – GA, 60 employees, medical staffing for private homes

General questions (Slide 7)

1. Do you think most temporary and employment service agencies would be able to answer all of the questions?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

1a (If not) Which questions do you think they would not be able to answer?

1b (If not) In general, was the question itself a problem or was it the whole section or topic that was the problem? Why do you think they would be unable to answer the question / topic?

1c Any other comments?

2. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the questionnaire?

Participant 2– 45 minutes

Participant 1– 30 minutes

2a In your opinion, was that amount of time too long?

Participant 2– felt very, very long, partly because I got busy

Participant 1– had allotted time for it, but seemed redundant and could be shorter (once went through all of the questions realized it wasn’t redundant)

2b Did you have to take any questions to someone else to answer?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– 1 additional person/partner for specifics on hire (to answer question annually?)

2c Any other comments?

3. In general, were the questions clear?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

3a How could the question be clarified or made more understandable?

3b Any other comments?

4. Do you think temporary and employment service agencies would be bothered by our asking any of the questions on the survey form?

Participant 2– don’t think so

Participant 1– don’t think so

4a (If so) Do you have suggestions for rewording any of the questions to make employers feel more comfortable about answering them?

4b (If so) Do we need to do a better job of explaining that all responses are confidential? Are there other things we should do to overcome any hesitancy regarding confidentiality?

4c Do you think other employers will answer the questions honestly?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– don’t think they’ll have a problem, one issue within health care industry in general, a number of agencies offer nurses 1099 status so these individuals are independent contractors, W2 or 1099 status workers can be treated differently, will answer questions differently depending on how they view the status of the people they hire

Participant 2– also a situation in GA, will not hire contractors

4d (If not) How could we overcome this concern?

5. Do you think most temporary and employment service agencies would complete our survey?

Participant 2– think so, most honorable agencies would

Participant 1– agree

5a (If not) Why not?

5b (If not) What could we do to encourage them to complete it?

5c Do you think a monetary incentive would help to motivate employers to complete the survey? How much do you suggest?

Participant 2– it does make a difference, but given amount of work it wasn’t the important feature, after got into it realized the money wouldn’t cover the effort (which was fine); $100 gets my attention, I’ve done other surveys for $100

Participant 1– agreed to doing survey prior to learning about compensation, E-Verify caught his interest; people’s time is valuable and an incentive would help; when offered the opportunity to do surveys the range has been $100-$150

5d Would an endorsement letter from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) make it more likely for you to complete the survey?

Participant 2– not from my perspective, don’t think anything else is necessary; we are part of the GA Association of Continuous Care Professionals (nursing organization), endorsement from them would make a difference

Participant 1– don’t belong to any national organizations, but because our clients are all major hospitals we are under the umbrella of the Joint Commission Accreditation Health Care, endorsement from them would impact companies in medical staffing industry

New Q on paragraph to help motivate employers –

Participant 2– We use National Fleet Service (background checks) as part of our hiring process, it just seems like a ponderous and heavy handed sounding paragraph

Participant 1– No question that whatever info you offer an employer that an astute employer is going to do their homework and understand that this is an important new issue that needs to be dealt with

Required to do credential and background checks, we’ve already done our part for the government to properly verify

What additional questions or topics do you think we should have included in order to objectively evaluate how companies are checking for work authorization and whether they would be willing to use the E-Verify program?

Questions about the survey introduction and instructions

1. How difficult was it to follow the instructions throughout the survey?

Participant 2– not difficult at all

Participant 1– agree

Individual Survey Questions for E-Verify Non-Users

SECTION A: Respondent Information

A2. Your name was given as the person who would be appropriate to respond to this survey. Please enter the information requested below.

1. Did you have any concerns about providing your name and/or contact information?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

2. If yes, what were those concerns?

A3. A ‘single location firm’ is a company with only one location. A ‘multiple location firm’ is a company with more than one location; this could be separate branches or establishments that have one central headquarters.

Which type of company is your firm?

The answer categories are:

Single location firm (or franchise)

Multiple location firm

Don’t know

1. Would you be able to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

2. Are the definitions clear enough?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

3. Would it be clearer if we said ‘company’ rather than ‘firm’?

SECTION B: Never Used E-Verify

B1. Before receiving this survey, had you ever heard of the E-Verify (or the Basic Pilot) program that can be used to verify the employment authorization status?

1. What do you think “to verify employment authorization status” means?

Participant 2– identify the role that you take in the payroll system; to process documentation (I9, W2) and do background checks

Participant 1– E-Verify is an organization similar to SSA that would offer info on whether people are authorized to work in the US

2. Was it difficult to answer this question?

3. How many said “yes” to this question – you had heard of E-Verify before we called you? And how many said “no”?

Participant 2– had not heard

Participant 1– read about it in the newspaper, also working on contract with VA facilities

4. Did anyone say yes because you had heard of “the Basic Pilot Program”? If so, had you also heard of E-Verify?

Participant 1– no

5. In your own words, how would you describe E-Verify to someone who didn’t know what the program is?

6. When and where did you hear of E-Verify?

B2. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

1. What do you think the phrase “electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees” means?

Participant 2– an electronic search using the internet to get info about individuals making application

2. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

Participant 2– some people like me who are already using a service and what they were doing

3. Is this question clear?

Participant 2– reasonably clear

4. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2– would like to see that it is not a sales pitch for another business offering background check services that we would have to pay for

5. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

Participant 2– no

6. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

Participant 2– “rarely hire new employees” – didn’t know what that meant, to work for my company or hiring people to staff jobs? Not relevant for temp/employee agencies.

7. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

8. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

Participant 2– no

9. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

Participant 2– very clear

B3. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

1. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Participant 2– yes

2. Does using the term “E-Verify’ in this question cause any problems?

Participant 2– no

3. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

Participant 2– no

4. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

B4. The following statements describe possible opinions about an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States by comparing information on the Form I-9 with information on SSA and USCIS databases. Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

1. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

Participant 2– that it would become mandated by the government

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agents to answer?

Participant 2– no, not difficult

3. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 2– “mandatory program would decrease the number of undocumented workers in US”; not sure that this is the case, not the only criteria

4. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

Participant 2– no

5. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

Participant 2– already thorough

B5. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

1. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 2– no; strong opinion on #8

2. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

Participant 2– job applicant is someone who meets the criteria through the phone interview , brings in app documents, and agrees to background check

3. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

Participant 2– no

4. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

Participant 2– no

5. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

Participant 2– no

6. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

B6. How did this firm find out about the E-Verify program?

1. Are there other frequently used ways of finding out about E-Verify that should be added to this list?

Participant 2– request from client to participate

Participant 1– seems exhaustive

2. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions.

Participant 1– clear

3. If your answers included ‘government materials’ and/or ‘government web site,’ were you able to identify whether they were Federal, State, or local?

Participant 1– yes, able to identify as federal

4. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

5. Are you answering for how you personally learned of the E-Verify program, or how your company gained the information?

Participant 1– good question, I am the company (co-owner), and I looked at it from a personal perspective

B7. Has this firm considered using E-Verify?

1. Is the difference between ‘Yes, and decided not to use E-Verify at this time’ and ‘No, have not considered using E-Verify’ clear enough?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– actually, I changed my response because I remembered the contract we are working on

2. Did anyone want to add a category that would say ‘Yes and have decided to use it’? [note: this answer will be picked up in the next question.]

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

3. Did anyone choose the answer ‘Don’t know’? If so, please explain why you were unable to choose one of the other answers.

4. Are you answering for your own personal decision, or for a decision your company has made?

B8. Does this firm plan to use E-Verify in the future?

1. Is the difference between the answer choices clear enough?

Participant 1– as it is asked it is clear, hard for me to answer because we don’t know what we are doing in the future with federal contracts (if no federal contract – no will not use it, if we get a federal contract – yes we will use it)

2. How many chose the answer ‘Undecided’?

B9. Have you decided when you would begin to use E-Verify?

1. Did you have any difficulty answering this question?

2. Should the wording be changed to ‘approximately when’?

B10. When are you planning to begin using E-Verify?

1. Any comments on this question?

B11. What is the main reason this firm is planning to use E-Verify?

1. Are you able to choose just one reason?

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

3. Are there other reasons that should be added to this list?

4. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions

5. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B12. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use E-Verify. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

1. Is this question clear?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– Yes, clear, but I found it somewhat awkward to answer; who in the organization is answering these questions? Respondents may get confused on which category to actually circle – answering the question vs. responding to the statement. For example: “We rarely hire new employees” – responding to whether this is true for their company, vs. whether this is a reason a firm would be reluctant to use; had to read through them all to understand what the question was

2. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

3. Is there a better way to ask this question?

4. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

5. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

6. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use E-Verify to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

7. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

Participant 2– “national background checks,” don’t know the difference between E-Verify and national background checks

8. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

B13. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

1. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Participant 1– chose two reasons, #6 and then #8

Participant 2– yes, chose #6 but would have chosen #8 as a second

2. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

Participant 1– no

Participant 2– no

B14. Currently the E-Verify program is voluntary in most states. The following statements describe possible opinions about making the E-Verify program mandatory.

Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

1. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

Participant 2– yes, “electronic ??? of the paper form I-9”; wasn’t sure this was going to happen, we have a tremendous number of applicants we have to weed through to make they are who we want

3. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 1– no

Participant 2– no

4. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– yes, #1, I don’t know

5. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

B15. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

1. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

2. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

3. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

4. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

5. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

6. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

B16. Please describe the types of companies where you think it might not be useful to use an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States.

1. Discuss each participant’s answers to this question.

Participant 2– I was getting unclear about where we were going here, but I wrote “places that hire hourly wage earners such as restaurants or places where employees are getting tips”

Participant 1– no opinion, not sure

2. ‘Types of companies’ could be by number of employees, by industry, by area of the country, etc. Why did you respond with the ‘type of company’ that you did?

3. Would using an electronic program like this be useful regardless of type of company?

B17. Is this firm an Employment Service Provider? That is, does your firm provide temporary workers for clients or refer job applicants to employers wishing to hire new employees?

1. How do you interpret the phrase ‘Employment Service Provider’? Is our definition clear and correct?

Participant 2– I had trouble, not clear because I provide service to clients in the private home, with private pay, so sometimes it is temporary in the case of hospice and other times it is not so temporary. I ultimately said yes this firm provides temporary workers but I’m not sure that’s accurate. Could just say “Do you provide temporary work assignments for clients?” Not sure you need the rest of the sentence.

Participant 1– When I read it the first time it made sense, so I answered yes on #1.

2. Would the term ‘staffing agency’ be clearer here? If so, how would you define ‘staffing agency’?

Participant 2– Yes, in my case. “Agency” confuses people.

3. Is there a better way to ask this question?

B18. Have any of your clients ever requested that you only provide workers who are work-authorized?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– yes

1. If yes, what type of clients? What were their reasons? Were you able to comply with their request? How? Were they talking about using E-Verify to check the work authorization?

Participant 1– One of our clients is Kaiser state-wide, we must provide SS# up front as part of the interview process, and they take that as meaning the applicants are legal to work, they have a verifiable social security card

2. Do you think ‘work-authorized’ would be clearer if we changed it to ‘authorized to work in the United States’?

B19. How do you currently verify that your employees (or prospective employees) are authorized to work?

1. How do you interpret the phrase ‘prospective employees’?

Participant 2– job applicant

Participant 1– an applicant

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

Participant 2– “we know they people we hire” - didn’t know what that meant

3. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

4. Are there any other common ways that a firm could use that should be added here?

5. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected? Did anyone select code 8 AND another category?

6. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 2– TB test, PPD, home license is current, drivers license

Participant 1– no

B20. For what types of workers do you verify work authorization?

Participant 2– all of them

Participant 1– all of them

1. What do you think we mean by the phrase ‘what types of workers’?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

3. Are there any other types of workers that should be added here?

4. Would it be helpful if we added specific examples for ‘those filling specific jobs’?

5. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

6. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category, or the specific job category? If so, what type of workers were those?

B21. On average, how much time does your company spend per new employee on verifying authorization to work?

Participant 2– 1-4 hours, a little more than an hour to chase everyone down with references

Participant 1– 1-4 hours

1. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

3. Is there a better way to ask for average amount of time needed to verify authorization to work per person?

Participant 2– no

B22. During calendar year 2008 how many new hires did your company find were not authorized to work?

1. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

2. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 2– I went to the ??? help where it’s not pending, it’s not hires; these are people who have backgrounds we keep the file on just in case they get into an accident and is not here, we want to make sure they go through the file before we have to through the process again

Participant 1– Confused at first, answered 1 then answered 2 because I had forgotten about an incident with an applicant in the process of being hired. The SSA response was “SSN has been pulled, please have individual communicate with local SSA office”, applicant then disappeared during hiring process.

3. What does ‘not authorized to work’ mean to you?

4. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ or would it be easier to answer for fiscal year instead?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

B23. Where are the Form I-9s completed?

1. How did you answer this question?

Participant 2– Answered “other specify, in our office” HQ overstates what we’re about

Participant 1– Answered “at each of the local establishments”, since we are 1 I just assumed that we are the local establishment

2. How did you interpret the term ‘completed’

Participant 2– in person

Participant 1– never gave it a second thought, we do it in the office

3. Did you need to consult with someone else in order to be able to respond to this question?

B24. Do you currently use any form of electronic I-9?

1. Did you understand what is meant by the term ‘electronic I-9’?

Participant 2– to me it meant online

Participant 1– did not know there was an electronic I-9

2. Did anyone answer ‘yes’ to this question?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

B25. Are the electronic Form I-9s done in-house or by another company?

1. What do you think is meant by the term ‘in-house’?

B26. When in the hiring process is the Form I-9 completed?

1. How do you interpret the phrase ‘in the hiring process’?

2. Were you able to select only one response?

Participant 2– yes, #1

Participant 1– yes, #3

3. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B27. There are many ways that a firm can decide when a person is considered to be a ‘new hire.’ What definition would your firm use to define a ‘new hire’?

1. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Participant 2– no

2. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

3. Are there any other definitions of a ‘new hire’ that should be added to the list?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

4. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

5. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B28. Which of the following do you at least sometimes require from job applicants or new hires before (referring them/placing them/they can start working)?

1. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Participant 2– no

2. Are there any other tests or items that you require that should be added to the list?

Participant 2– checking for banking account, TB test, driving – car insurance

Participant 1– health screening

3. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

See above

B29. What would make your task of verifying employment authorization of workers easier for you?

1. How would you interpret the term ‘easier for you’?

2. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– it’s clear

3. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

4. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

5. Do we need a response that says ‘Verifying employment authorization is already easy for us’?

6. Are there any other ways that this task could be made easier that should be added here?

7. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 2– no

Participant 1– no

SECTION C: Employer Characteristics

C1. The sample we are using for this survey came from Dunn & Bradstreet. According to that sample, this firm is listed as being in the industry category of (SEE INDUSTRY LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET). Is that correct?

1. Are you familiar with Dunn & Bradstreet? Do we need to provide more information here regarding who they are and what their business is? Or would it make more sense to just provide a more general description of the company that provided our sample?

Participant 2– yes I am familiar with them, I do not think you need to provide more info

Participant 1– I think people know what that is

2. Is this question clear?

3. Was the ‘industry category’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Participant 2– yes

Participant 1– yes

C2. What industry category do you think this firm is in?

1. Were the industry categories that are listed for this question clear enough that you could use them to code your industry?

2. Are there any other industries that should be added here?

3. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

C3. According to the Dunn & Bradstreet sample, this firm is listed as having (SEE COMPANY SIZE LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET) employees as of the end of calendar year 2008. This includes all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees.

Is that size category correct?

Participant 2– I didn’t know what MED meant? Medium? Nothing to equate it to. Assuming the categories in C5, I said yes.

Participant 1– Not sure who is classifying me as a “large” company. If you perceive me to be large, we’re large.

1. What types of employees besides full-time permanent employees did you include in your size estimate?

2. Is this question clear?

3. Are the directions on how to calculate the number of employees working at your company easy or difficult to understand? If difficult, what is unclear about the directions and what would you suggest we change to make it easier to understand?

4. Was the ‘Company Size’ that was listed for your firm correct?

5. How many employees did you have at the end of calendar year 2008, including all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees?

[For participants who could provide a number] Was this an exact count or an estimate?

Participant 2– somewhere between exact and an estimate

Participant 1– # of W2s cut last year

6. [For participants who could not provide a number] Could you provide an estimate? If not, could you place your company in one of the size categories in the next question?

C4. What Size Category do you think this firm is in?

1. Were the size categories that are listed for this question appropriate for you to code your company size?

2. Are there any other size categories that should be added here, or would you prefer to just give an answer of the actual number of employees?

C5. During all of calendar year 2008, approximately how many people were hired by this company, including people hired at this firm to work in this location or in other locations of the firm?

1. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes, but it was hard because of the temporary nature of what we do.

Participant 1– I had to go to another person in the office to go into reports. Because we do daily pay we do payroll on site so we were able to come up with the numbers pretty quickly. Someone using ADP or an unsophisticated hiring system would have trouble answering.

2. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 2– went to the file, looked at the dates

3. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead?

C6. During calendar year 2008, approximately how many employees quit or were terminated at this company?

1. Were you able to answer this question?

2. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 2– same approach, but easier, I keep a file

3. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead? IF ANYONE SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM, SAY: Would changing this to “During fiscal year 2007-2008” make this easier to answer?

C7. How much seasonal hiring does your company do?

1. How would you interpret the term ‘seasonal hiring’?

2. Is there a better way to ask this question?

3. Are there too many categories to choose from?

4. What does each category mean to you? For example, how do you interpret the phrase ‘A moderate amount’?

5. Could you answer this question with a percentage of your yearly hiring, such as ‘30% would be seasonal’?

C8. What are the peak months for hiring employees at this company?

1. How would you interpret the term ‘peak months for hiring’?

2. Is there a better way to ask this question?

3. Should we add categories for fall, winter, spring, and summer?

C9. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company are Salaried, Skilled hourly, Unskilled hourly

1. Were you able to answer this question?

2. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 2– counted heads in the office

Participant 1– went into computer system

3. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

C10. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company would you say were born outside the U.S.?

1. Were you willing to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes, but don’t know how accurate it is, based on photos and last names, it’s hard to do – a tricky question, had to do a lot of work to get the answer

Participant 1– easy because of the categories, would have been hard to give an actual number, we hire Canadian nurses

2. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2– yes

3. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

4. What does ‘born outside the U.S.’ mean to you?

5. What kind of employees do you think of when answering this question?

6. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for temporary and employment service agencies to answer?

C11. What additional comments or suggestions do you have regarding electronic employment authorization verification?

NON-USER Web Survey Focus Group Script

Industry Reps

(Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST)

Note Takers Template

Save this file to your H: drive. Type in your notes. Refer to the audio recording following the focus group. Complete your notes and work with your co-note taker to compile into one file. Post the file to the project drive in the Post Focus Group Notes subdirectory by noon the day after the focus group.

Introductions

Participant 1: – Michigan, 10 employees, food services

Participant 2: – California, 400 full-time employees, 1600 employees during seasonal times, fully-integrated agriculture business

General questions (Slide 7)

1. Do you think most companies in your industries would be able to answer all of the questions?

Participant 1: – Yes.

1a (If not) Which questions do you think they would not be able to answer?

1b (If not) In general, was the question itself a problem or was it the whole section or topic that was the problem? Why do you think they would be unable to answer the question / topic?

1c Any other comments?

2. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the questionnaire?

Participant 1: – 10-15 minutes.

2a In your opinion, was that amount of time too long?

Participant 1: – No, it seemed about right.

2b Did you have to take any questions to someone else to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

2c Any other comments?

3. In general, were the questions clear?

Participant 1: – Yes.

3a How could the question be clarified or made more understandable?

Participant 1: – Not really, they seemed pretty straight forward.

3b Any other comments?

4. Do you think companies in your industries would be bothered by our asking any of the questions on the survey form?

Participant 1: – I don’t think so.

4a (If so) Do you have suggestions for rewording any of the questions to make employers feel more comfortable about answering them?

4b (If so) Do we need to do a better job of explaining that all responses are confidential? Are there other things we should do to overcome any hesitancy regarding confidentiality?

4c Do you think other employers will answer the questions honestly?

Participant 1: – Yes. As long as they’re sure their anonymity would be protected.

4d (If not) How could we overcome this concern?

5. Do you think most companies in your industries would complete our survey?

Participant 1: – I don’t know about most, but I’m sure you’d get a decent sample.

5a (If not) Why not?

Participant 1: – They don’t see any purpose to it, takes time out of their busy day.

5b (If not) What could we do to encourage them to complete it?

5c Do you think a monetary incentive would help to motivate employers to complete the survey? How much do you suggest?

Participant 1: – Yes. (How much?) Probably $5-10.

Would an endorsement letter from the Society for Human Resource Management make it more likely for you to complete the survey?

Participant 1: – It wouldn’t affect me any, but it might some other people.

What additional questions or topics do you think we should have included in order to objectively evaluate how companies are checking for work authorization and whether they would be willing to use the E-Verify program?

Participant 1: – I couldn’t think of any, any topics that stuck out as being not asked about.

Questions about the survey introduction and instructions

2. How difficult was it to follow the instructions throughout the survey?

Participant 1: – They were easy.

Individual Survey Questions for E-Verify Non-Users

SECTION A: Respondent Information

A2. Your name was given as the person who would be appropriate to respond to this survey. Please enter the information requested below.

3. Did you have any concerns about providing your name and/or contact information?

Participant 1: – I did not; however, I don’t really feel that I have anything to hide either. (Do you think some might be considered?) Yes. (What could do to help ensure confidentiality?) I’m not really sure, maybe contact information and some type of identifying number, instead of a full name.

(On the survey, there is a confidentiality statement. Did that help?)

Participant 1: – It helped some. It might be useful to include some type of privacy statement with the survey.

4. If yes, what were those concerns?

A3. A ‘single location firm’ is a company with only one location. A ‘multiple location firm’ is a company with more than one location; this could be separate branches or establishments that have one central headquarters.

Which type of company is your firm?

The answer categories are:

Single location firm (or franchise)

Multiple location firm

Don’t know

4. Would you be able to answer this question?

Participant 1: – Yes.

5. Are the definitions clear enough?

Participant 1: – Yes.

6. Would it be clearer if we said ‘company’ rather than ‘firm’?

Participant 1: – Probably.

SECTION B: Never Used E-Verify

B1. Before receiving this survey, had you ever heard of the E-Verify (or the Basic Pilot) program that can be used to verify the employment authorization status?

7. What do you think “to verify employment authorization status” means?

Participant 1: – I kind of assumed it was referring to legal right to work in the US.

8. Was it difficult to answer this question?

Participant 1: – It was not, though I believe I assumed that because I think I saw some mention of the I-9 Form before I read that question, so I kind of knew what it was asking. But if I hadn’t seen that, I don’t think I would have known what employment authorization status meant. No, I have not used E-Verify.

9. How many said “yes” to this question – you had heard of E-Verify before we called you? And how many said “no”?

Participant 1: – Yes. I hadn’t heard of it until I got the phone call.

Participant 2: – Yes, I had heard of it.

10. Did anyone say yes because you had heard of “the Basic Pilot Program”? If so, had you also heard of E-Verify?

11. In your own words, how would you describe E-Verify to someone who didn’t know what the program is?

12. When and where did you hear of E-Verify?

B2. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

10. What do you think the phrase “electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees” means?

Participant 1: – To me that would mean something that would involve the Internet and a database, checking against some kind of database.

11. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

Participant 1: – That you wouldn’t really want to use it.

12. Is this question clear?

Participant 1: – Yes.

13. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 1: – I don’t really think so.

14. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a companies in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – Not really.

15. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

Participant 1: – Not really. There might be some that don’t apply to my industry, but I don’t necessarily think that that is a reason to delete them. (Which ones might not apply to your industry?) Available staff, transition to a new system, trouble finding enough workers - this is never a problem. (So it’s more the size than the type of industry?) Yes.

16. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

Participant 1: – Was there one about getting in trouble? (Possibly.)

17. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

18. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

B3. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

5. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Participant 1: – Yes.

6. Does using the term “E-Verify’ in this question cause any problems?

Participant 1: – No.

7. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

Participant 1: – No.

8. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No, I don’t think so.

B4. The following statements describe possible opinions about an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States by comparing information on the Form I-9 with information on SSA and USCIS databases. Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

6. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

Participant 1: – Something would be required for any new hires.

7. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

8. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

9. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

Participant 1: – Not on purpose.

10. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

Participant 1: – No.

B5. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

7. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 1: – No.

8. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

Participant 1: – Somebody that has applied for a job. (Was it clear how that was used in this question?) Yes.

9. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

10. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

Participant 1: – No.

11. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

Participant 1: – I think the last one usually covers that base. (Did you add anything for the specify?) No I didn’t.

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for an employer in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

B6. How did this firm find out about the E-Verify program?

6. Are there other frequently used ways of finding out about E-Verify that should be added to this list?

Participant 2: – Not really. This pretty much covers the majority of ways that I became familiar with E-Verify. I don’t think you missed anything that I haven’t seen. The auditor visit. That’s how someone finds out the hard way, we haven’t had that happen. We have a lot of associations that keep us up with all of that, plus a number of other labor law types of newsletters. The industry itself has been part of that legal aid part. Our industry itself is concerned about this whole thing.

7. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions.

8. If your answers included ‘government materials’ and/or ‘government web site,’ were you able to identify whether they were Federal, State, or local?

Participant 2: – Usually, most of it is federal. State and local doesn’t put out anything.

(Were any of the categories unclear or in need of definitions?)

Participant 2: – Well, to be honest, I haven’t seen too many posters or billboards regarding E-Verify.

(But would you need a definition to be able to respond to that?)

Participant 2: – No.

9. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

10. Are you answering for how you personally learned of the E-Verify program, or how your company gained the information?

Participant 2: – Actually, as head of HR, if I know, our company knows. Some of our executives are also involved with industry organizations. We’re very active in this process. At least from a monetary stand point.

B7. Has this firm considered using E-Verify?

Participant 2: – We have, but we’ve chosen not to at this point.

5. Is the difference between ‘Yes, and decided not to use E-Verify at this time’ and ‘No, have not considered using E-Verify’ clear enough?

Participant 2: – Those are good questions to be asking somebody.

6. Did anyone want to add a category that would say ‘Yes and have decided to use it’? [note: this answer will be picked up in the next question.]

7. Did anyone choose the answer ‘Don’t know’? If so, please explain why you were unable to choose one of the other answers.

8. Are you answering for your own personal decision, or for a decision your company has made?

B8. Does this firm plan to use E-Verify in the future?

Participant 2: – Only if it becomes mandatory.

3. Is the difference between the answer choices clear enough?

Participant 2: – Yes.

4. How many chose the answer ‘Undecided’?

B9. Have you decided when you would begin to use E-Verify?

Participant 2: – No.

3. Did you have any difficulty answering this question?

4. Should the wording be changed to ‘approximately when’?

B10. When are you planning to begin using E-Verify?

1. Any comments on this question?

B11. What is the main reason this firm is planning to use E-Verify?

6. Are you able to choose just one reason?

7. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

8. Are there other reasons that should be added to this list?

9. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions

10. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B12. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use E-Verify. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

9. Is this question clear?

Participant 2: – Yes.

10. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

Participant 2: – Not sure about what happens if I do use it.

11. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2: – No, not really. I understand what reluctance is.

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 2: – No, it’s fine.

13. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

Participant 2: – They’re all good reasons.

14. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use E-Verify to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

15. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

Participant 2: – No, I think you covered everything that I probably would have heard from other companies. I know some of these smaller companies and their attitudes.

16. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

Participant 2: – The one in the middle (somewhat important), I’m not sure how you could word that. Just some kind of neutral or no opinion or neither. Is that in between minor and very important? I think that needs to be clarified a little bit.

B13. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

3. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Participant 2: – The most important one is #7. #6, there are other resources to check before using E-Verify.

4. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

Participant 2: – No, but I think it’s important, because it’s at this time, what is happening right now. If things change with immigration reform, this whole survey could take on a different light.

B14. Currently the E-Verify program is voluntary in most states. The following statements describe possible opinions about making the E-Verify program mandatory.

Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

6. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

Participant 2: – You’ve got to do it.

7. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 2: – If you use the phrase “at this time” and since we have a whole lot of issues on immigration and legislation, I think we’d be totally at odds with a mandatory requirement. You could probably get a lot of strongly disagrees with these questions.

8. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 2: – Well, it takes the place of the I-9 and some people might think that’s great, but is that going to change that process as well? If ICE comes out and audits you, then if you have a clear number then that’s good.

9. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

Participant 2: – No. I probably have an opinion about them all.

10. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

Participant 2: – No. I think those cover it.

B15. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

7. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 2: – The “allow verification” and “require verification” – if it’s mandatory, it’s required. I may be splitting hairs. If you’re saying the program is mandatory, then the assumption is that it’s required.

(Joan - In the first pair, it’s allow before a hiring decision is made, and the second is, all employees not just new hires.)

Participant 2: – We’re talking about making this mandatory. It’s a little ambiguous. Allow – does this give the option of doing it?

8. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

9. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

Participant 2: – No.

10. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

Participant 2: – No.

11. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

Participant 2: – No.

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 2: – No. Other than clarifying this “allow” thing.

B16. Please describe the types of companies where you think it might not be useful to use an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States.

Participant 2: – I can’t think of any. It would be useful, but if you do use it, some of those fears would come into play.

4. Discuss each participant’s answers to this question.

5. ‘Types of companies’ could be by number of employees, by industry, by area of the country, etc. Why did you respond with the ‘type of company’ that you did?

6. Would using an electronic program like this be useful regardless of type of company?

Participant 2: – Yes.

Participant 1: – I don’t know that I agree. I think that small operations that mostly employ part-time work, typically filled by something like high school students, this would not necessarily be a useful program. Because the company is small with part-timers and high school students, it just doesn’t seem like the I-9 Form is perfectly adequate in that situation. It takes time out and it may be an unnecessary expense occurred, especially in a small operation where pennies are tight. And I’m assuming there is some type of charge for a service like that.

B17. Is this firm an Employment Service Provider? That is, does your firm provide temporary workers for clients or refer job applicants to employers wishing to hire new employees?

Participant 2: – No.

Participant 1: – No.

4. How do you interpret the phrase ‘Employment Service Provider’? Is our definition clear and correct?

Participant 2: – I look at that as a temp agency and in our industry, we use farm labor contractors. We utilize them. In the agriculture world, if you used employment service provider, you must also clarify that in the sense that you’ve got farm labor contractors, which is the primary source for labor in agriculture when you’re talking about being in the field and harvesting, etc. When you get into an office setting and packing settings, you’d use the more conventional term for temp agencies. But in agriculture, when we talk about the field, we’re talking about farm labor contractors.

Participant 1: – It makes sense to me, but I get what he’s saying.

5. Would the term ‘staffing agency’ be clearer here? If so, how would you define ‘staffing agency’?

Participant 2: – Yes. In the agriculture world though, they are known as labor contractors.

6. Is there a better way to ask this question?

B18. Have any of your clients ever requested that you only provide workers who are work-authorized?

3. If yes, what type of clients? What were their reasons? Were you able to comply with their request? How? Were they talking about using E-Verify to check the work authorization?

4. Do you think ‘work-authorized’ would be clearer if we changed it to ‘authorized to work in the United States’?

B19. How do you currently verify that your employees (or prospective employees) are authorized to work?

7. How do you interpret the phrase ‘prospective employees’?

Participant 2: – Potential employees that we haven’t made an offer to, those that come in to do an application/inquired about work.

Participant 1: – I consider it to be a person I am planning to offer a job to.

8. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – I guess it’s how you define prospective. Until we actually offer a job, you can come in and apply, it doesn’t mean I’m going to check you out. When we make the hire, then we’re going to start checking you out. Most of us don’t start the process until you’re actually hiring them.

9. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

Participant 1: – I didn’t think of any.

Participant 2: – No.

10. Are there any other common ways that a firm could use that should be added here?

11. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected? Did anyone select code 8 AND another category?

12. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 2: – No.

Participant 1: – No.

B20. For what types of workers do you verify work authorization?

7. What do you think we mean by the phrase ‘what types of workers’?

Participant 1: – I was basing it on the answers, so I figured those types of workers.

Participant 2: – My answer would be 1. We as a company would say we would verify everybody.

Participant 1: – As would I.

Participant 2: – And some of them seem to be discriminatory.

8. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

9. Are there any other types of workers that should be added here?

10. Would it be helpful if we added specific examples for ‘those filling specific jobs’?

11. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

12. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category, or the specific job category? If so, what type of workers were those?

Participant 1: – No.

B21. On average, how much time does your company spend per new employee on verifying authorization to work?

4. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

5. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No, I think they could just go down to personnel and talk to them.

6. Is there a better way to ask for average amount of time needed to verify authorization to work per person?

Participant 2: – No, not really.

B22. During calendar year 2008 how many new hires did your company find were not authorized to work?

5. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2: – Yes.

Participant 1: – Yes.

6. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 1: – I hired about 8 people in the last year, so it was particularly easy for me.

Participant 2: – I just went over to personnel office and asked.

7. What does ‘not authorized to work’ mean to you?

Participant 2: – For us, an obviously fake Social Security number is a good indicator.

Participant 1: – It means that they don’t have the legal right to work in the US.

Participant 2: – I agree with that.

8. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ or would it be easier to answer for fiscal year instead?

Participant 2: – Speaking for farming, we look at the calendar year.

Participant 1: – Not for me, but I could see that if someone keeps records by fiscal year, it would be easier to answer.

B23. Where is the Form I-9s completed?

(Do you use Form I-9s?)

Participant 1: – Yes, we use Form I-9s.

Participant 2: – Yes, we use Form I-9s.

4. How did you answer this question?

Participant 1: – At headquarters, they are all completed.

Participant 2: – We have two personnel offices and they handle the paperwork. (Do you have multiple establishments?) We have lots of ranches, and two packing houses where the two personnel offices are located.

5. How did you interpret the term ‘completed’?

Participant 1: – I didn’t really read the question that closely because I only have one place. To me, completed means where they’re filled out and verified.

Participant 2: – I would agree.

6. Did you need to consult with someone else in order to be able to respond to this question?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

B24. Do you currently use any form of electronic I-9?

3. Did you understand what is meant by the term ‘electronic I-9’?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

4. Did anyone answer ‘yes’ to this question?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

B25. Are the electronic Form I-9s done in-house or by another company?

2. What do you think is meant by the term ‘in-house’?

B26. When in the hiring process is the Form I-9 completed?

4. How do you interpret the phrase ‘in the hiring process’?

Participant 1: – At what stage do we give the potential employee an I-9.

Participant 2: – That’s how I interpreted it too.

5. Were you able to select only one response?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

6. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

B27. There are many ways that a firm can decide when a person is considered to be a ‘new hire.’ What definition would your firm use to define a ‘new hire’?

6. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

7. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

8. Are there any other definitions of a ‘new hire’ that should be added to the list?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

9. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

10. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B28. Which of the following do you at least sometimes require from job applicants or new hires before (referring them/placing them/they can start working)?

4. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Participant 2: – No.

Participant 1: – No.

5. Are there any other tests or items that you require that should be added to the list?

Participant 1: – No

Participant 2: – We might have to do a “fit for duty.” It’s a type of physical test, say they’re back in storage and the refrigerator, they may have to do a fit test and be fitted with a respirator. Also, we use pesticides on the field. The responses cover the general ones, but there are other specific ones.

6. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B29. What would make your task of verifying employment authorization of workers easier for you?

8. How would you interpret the term ‘easier for you’?

Participant 1: – Less.

Participant 2: – I agree.

9. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

10. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No. What makes it easier for us is that it’s online, etc., but to get in to photo matching, biometrics is too much for us. A little expensive.

11. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

Participant 2: – Photo matching and biometrics might seem impractical, but I can see how they would be used.

12. Do we need a response that says ‘Verifying employment authorization is already easy for us’?

Participant 1: – If you definitely want to have something circled/answered, then yes.

Participant 2: – I would agree.

13. Are there any other ways that this task could be made easier that should be added here?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

14. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

SECTION C: Employer Characteristics

C1. The sample we are using for this survey came from Dunn & Bradstreet. According to that sample, this firm is listed as being in the industry category of (SEE INDUSTRY LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET). Is that correct?

4. Are you familiar with Dunn & Bradstreet? Do we need to provide more information here regarding who they are and what their business is? Or would it make more sense to just provide a more general description of the company that provided our sample?

Participant 1: – No. It doesn’t really clarify the actual question, so I don’t see that as necessary.

Participant 2: – Yes.

5. Is this question clear?

Participant 1: – Yes.

6. Was the ‘industry category’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

C2. What industry category do you think this firm is in?

4. Were the industry categories that are listed for this question clear enough that you could use them to code your industry?

Participant 2: – For us, yes.

5. Are there any other industries that should be added here?

Participant 1: – No, I don’t see any.

Participant 2: – I guess I don’t see hospitality.

6. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

C3. According to the Dunn & Bradstreet sample, this firm is listed as having (SEE COMPANY SIZE LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET) employees as of the end of calendar year 2008. This includes all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees.

Is that size category correct?

7. What types of employees besides full-time permanent employees did you include in your size estimate?

Participant 2: – Seasonal.

Participant 1: – Part-time.

(Was it clear who to include?)

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

8. Is this question clear?

9. Are the directions on how to calculate the number of employees working at your company easy or difficult to understand? If difficult, what is unclear about the directions and what would you suggest we change to make it easier to understand?

Participant 2: – Yes.

Participant 1: – Yes.

10. Was the ‘Company Size’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

11. How many employees did you have at the end of calendar year 2008, including all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees?

Participant 1: – 12.

Participant 2: – 400.

12. [For participants who could provide a number] Was this an exact count or an estimate?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes, pretty much.

13. [For participants who could not provide a number] Could you provide an estimate? If not, could you place your company in one of the size categories in the next question?

C4. What Size Category do you think this firm is in?

3. Were the size categories that are listed for this question appropriate for you to code your company size?

4. Are there any other size categories that should be added here, or would you prefer to just give an answer of the actual number of employees?

C5. During all of calendar year 2008, approximately how many people were hired by this company, including people hired at this firm to work in this location or in other locations of the firm?

4. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes. But my question is, is that new hires or rehires? Sixty percent of our workers come back every year, they are seasonal workers. About 40 percent are new hires. For us, even if you are a rehire, we go through the whole I-9 process, it’s just easier for us to separate rehires from new hires; we know what they are from the computer, but in terms of I-9, the process is the same. Some clarification would be nice.

5. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

6. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead?

C6. During calendar year 2008, approximately how many employees quit or were terminated at this company?

4. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2: – Yes. But I hate to be splitting hairs, but there’s a difference between terminating and laying off, because at our company, if we lay you off, the assumption is we’re going to be hiring you back next year.

Participant 1: – I would agree with that – the same type of seasonal stuff.

5. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

6. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead? IF ANYONE SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM, SAY: Would changing this to “During fiscal year 2007-2008” make this easier to answer?

C7. How much seasonal hiring does your company do?

6. How would you interpret the term ‘seasonal hiring’?

Participant 1: – Hiring based on a semi-temporary basis, like for a season. For example, harvest season.

7. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2: – No, I just know that when it’s seasonal, there are different practices going on – harvest season, cleaning season, tying season. And those indicate periods of time when we would be hiring people. So, seasonal works well.

8. Are there too many categories to choose from?

Participant 1: – I think they could be clarified a bit more.

Participant 2: – Right, kind of like how you had the number of employees (less than 20, 20-50, etc.). Some people will say I only hire 10 seasonal employees, while some employers like us would hire 400.

Participant 1: – Taking into account the previous question (about number of workers hired each year), it could affect the answer to that one.

9. What does each category mean to you? For example, how do you interpret the phrase ‘A moderate amount’?

10. Could you answer this question with a percentage of your yearly hiring, such as ‘30% would be seasonal’?

Participant 1: – I think a percentage would be useful.

Participant 2: – Yes, I like that.

C8. What are the peak months for hiring employees at this company?

4. How would you interpret the term ‘peak months for hiring’?

Participant 1: – When most of the hiring is done.

Participant 2: – I would agree with Participant 1:. Peak is a term we use quite often.

5. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2: – For the agriculture world, no. We always deal in peaks.

6. Should we add categories for fall, winter, spring, and summer?

Participant 2: – No, I’m strictly speaking for agriculture, our peak employment is really harvest. Most of the companies in the agriculture world think of their peak time as the time when they have the most employees.

C9. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company are Salaried, Skilled hourly, Unskilled hourly

4. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 1: – Yes.

Participant 2: – Yes.

5. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 2: – I just know the numbers of employees we have. Off the top of my head, I could tell you how many employees we have in each category.

6. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 1: – No.

Participant 2: – No.

C10. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company would you say were born outside the U.S.?

7. Were you willing to answer this question?

Participant 2: – No. Just again, identifying people and pigeon-holing them.

8. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 2: – I could, but it would take some time, I’d have to look at I-9s and even with that, the documentation is usually different. It doesn’t always indicate this information.

(Would you be able to give a best guess?)

Participant 2: – Yes, I could give an estimate.

9. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

10. What does ‘born outside the U.S.’ mean to you?

Participant 2: – It means just that. In my case, it might imply that they’re not really residents of the country.

Participant 1: – It means that they’re not born in the US.

11. What kind of employees do you think of when answering this question?

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for employers in your industries to answer?

Participant 2: – It’d be difficult because everyone would want to know why.

Participant 1: – It’d be easy in a smaller situation like mine, just because I can actually talk to all of my employees and find out.

(What if it were a larger company doing food service?)

Participant 1: – I don’t know how I could know if someone was born here or not, if they have proper documentation. If they’re a citizen, then I can’t tell if they’re born here or not without actually asking them.

C11. What additional comments or suggestions do you have regarding electronic employment authorization verification?

Participant 1: – It could be useful for operators with large hiring rates, in areas of high immigrant population, as well as employment agencies. It’s not necessarily useful or cost-efficient for small operations with low turnover.

Participant 2: – My comments are along the same lines as Participant 1:. For a big company like us, it would streamline a lot of things, but not for a small company with a handful of people.

NON-USER Web Survey Focus Group Script

Large Employers

(Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST)

Note Takers Template

Introductions

Participant 1: TN, 150 employees, in human service education field

Participant 2: MI, 700 employees, in restaurant industry

Participant 3: IN, 120 employees, in restaurant industry primarily, but also factory and production industries also

Participant 4: NB, 100 employees, education industry

General questions

1. Do you think most large companies would be able to answer all of the questions?

Participant 3: Most companies should be able to answer all or most of the questions; questions are poignant and simple.

Participant 2: Agreed with Participant 3.

Participant 1: Companies would be able to answer the question but they might have to go others (e.g., department heads) for some of the questions but the information should be available.

1a (If not) Which questions do you think they would not be able to answer?

1b (If not) In general, was the question itself a problem or was it the whole section or topic that was the problem? Why do you think they would be unable to answer the question / topic?

1c Any other comments?

2. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the questionnaire?

Participant 3: About 15-20 minutes to complete.

Participant 2: 20-25 minutes.

Participant 1: Less than ½ hour.

2a In your opinion, was that amount of time too long?

Participant 3: No, not too long. Skip pattern wasn’t confusing but I did second guess if I was going to the right questions.

Participant 2: Survey was not too long.

Participant 1: Not too long; time included going to personal to obtain help with answering questions.

2b Did you have to take any questions to someone else to answer?

2c Any other comments?

3. In general, were the questions clear?

Participant 1: Mostly, don’t know anything about E-Verify except what I read in the paper; some I wasn’t sure about but questions were clear.

Participant 3: Q’s were clear.

Participant 2: Q’s were clear.

3a How could the question be clarified or made more understandable?

3b Any other comments?

4. Do you think large companies would be bothered by our asking any of the questions on the survey form?

Participant 3: Some companies may be worried about politically correct answers; HR and legal departments at some companies may make it more difficult to answer some of the questions.

Participant 2: Won’t be bothered as long as questions were personal questions and focused on “business” types of questions.

Participant 1: Won’t be any more bothered than small or other kind of companies; there might be some where you won’t get actual answers.

4a (If so) Do you have suggestions for rewording any of the questions to make employers feel more comfortable about answering them?

4b (If so) Do we need to do a better job of explaining that all responses are confidential? Are there other things we should do to overcome any hesitancy regarding confidentiality?

4c Do you think other employers will answer the questions honestly?

Participant 1: I think some companies might not be completely honest in answering the questions.

Participant 2: Agreed with Participant 1.

Participant 3: Legal staff at companies might be worried about answering some of the questions. [Denise follow-up: What if we ensured confidentiality – would that help?] Participant 3: Yes, I think that would help.

Participant 3: Not sure if you could do anything unless you had a system where you didn’t collect any information on who answered the question; larger companies might be overly protective.

Participant 1: Might want to talk about the purposes of the survey; make sure purposes sound reasonable and likely.

4d (If not) How could we overcome this concern?

5. Do you think most large companies would complete our survey?

Participant 1: States with mandatory use might be more inclined to complete the survey because they are aware of it.

Participant 2: I think they would be motivated; depend on motivation, perhaps if doing survey would help them financially.

Participant 3: I think they would be motivated. Streamlining hiring process and determining work authorization should be good motivation to participate in the survey.

5a (If not) Why not?

5b (If not) What could we do to encourage them to complete it?

5c Do you think a monetary incentive would help to motivate employers to complete the survey? How much do you suggest?

Participant 3: Funny question. It’s insignificant; not a motivating factor. It’s [the survey] a process you are interested in or not interested in.

Participant 1: Money not important for large employers; might be for smaller employers. If you could emphasize that participation might help streamline the hiring process, that might motivate people to do the survey.

R: Financial aspect not motivating. End result of findings that might lead to mandatory use status might be more of an influence.

5d Would an endorsement letter from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) make it more likely for you to complete the survey?

Participant 1: Maybe. At least it would say professional would say it’s useful.

Participant 3: Not for me. What would help if you got some major players to endorse the program, such as General Motors and Sears.

What additional questions or topics do you think we should have included in order to objectively evaluate how companies are checking for work authorization and whether they would be willing to use the E-Verify program?

Participant 3: No additional questions to add.

Participant 2: No.

Participant 1: People would be motivated if it solved a problem or made their jobs easier. For those having problems getting people authorized or doing lots of checking, questions on how program might make the hiring process easier might provide incentive to do the survey.

Questions about the survey introduction and instructions

3. How difficult was it to follow the instructions throughout the survey?

Participant 3: Instructions were not difficult.

Participant 2: Straightforward instructions.

Participant 1: Straightforward and easy to follow.

Individual Survey Questions for E-Verify Non-Users

SECTION A: Respondent Information

A2. Your name was given as the person who would be appropriate to respond to this survey. Please enter the information requested below.

5. Did you have any concerns about providing your name and/or contact information?

Participant 1: I don’t.

Participant 3: I don’t.

Participant 2: I don’t.

6. If yes, what were those concerns?

A3. A ‘single location firm’ is a company with only one location. A ‘multiple location firm’ is a company with more than one location; this could be separate branches or establishments that have one central headquarters.

Which type of company is your firm?

Participant 3: Multiple.

Participant 1: Multiple.

Participant 2: Multiple.

The answer categories are:

Single location firm (or franchise)

Multiple location firm

Don’t know

7. Would you be able to answer this question?

8. Are the definitions clear enough?

Participant 3: Yes.

No one thought it wasn’t clear.

9. Would it be clearer if we said ‘company’ rather than ‘firm’?

Participant 1: I don’t think so.

Participant 2: It doesn’t matter to me.

SECTION B: Never Used E-Verify

B1. Before receiving this survey, had you ever heard of the E-Verify (or the Basic Pilot) program that can be used to verify the employment authorization status?

13. What do you think “to verify employment authorization status” means?

Participant 3: Following I-9 program; the basic verification process using information from I-9; term is straight forward

Participant 1: Term was straight forward.

Participant 2: Straight forward.

14. Was it difficult to answer this question?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 3: No.

Participant 2: No.

15. How many said “yes” to this question – you had heard of E-Verify before we called you? And how many said “no”?

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 2: No.

Participant 3: I heard the term (on the internet and in journals) but that was the end of it but didn’t know what it was exactly.

16. Did anyone say yes because you had heard of “the Basic Pilot Program”? If so, had you also heard of E-Verify?

17. In your own words, how would you describe E-Verify to someone who didn’t know what the program is?

Participant 3: Process that you use to verify employment eligibility electronically.

Participant 1: I would add: legally authorized to work in country.

18. When and where did you hear of E-Verify?

Participant 1: I’ve been reading about it for 2-3 years in the newspaper and online.

B2. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

19. What do you think the phrase “electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees” means?

Participant 2: Web-based program allowing you to streamline the employment process.

Participant 3: I would guess web-based program to verify work authorization.

20. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

Participant 2: Yes, straight forward term.

Participant 3: Yes, straight forward term.

21. Is this question clear?

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

22. Is there a better way to ask this question?

Participant 2: Electronic is good way to describe, particularly if other technologies are used (e.g., telephone).

Participant 3: The way it’s phrased is good; for smaller companies, other technologies may appeal to them.

23. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for large employers to answer?

Participant 3: No.

Participant 2: No.

24. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

Participant 3: No, but some responses for questions seem silly; company who wants to use program to determine work authorization are likely going to be a responsible company so a question that asks about how many employees you hire seems silly because whether you hire 1 employee or 500 employees, both small and large employees are going to use the program for the purpose of hiring responsibly.

25. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

Participant 2: No.

26. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

Participant 3: No.

Participant 2: No.

27. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

B3. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

9. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Participant 3: We haven’t made a decision yet on whether to use the program.

Participant 2: I didn’t have anything on that.

10. Does using the term “E-Verify’ in this question cause any problems?

11. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

B4. The following statements describe possible opinions about an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States by comparing information on the Form I-9 with information on SSA and USCIS databases. Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

11. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 2 Yes.

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

Participant 3: No.

Participant 2: No.

13. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 3: All easy to answer.

Participant 2: Easy to answer.

14. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

Participant 2: Yes. Question on electronic I-9 to eliminate paper form.

15. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

Participant 3: Fine as is.

B5. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

13. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 3: All easy to answer; “formal appeal” statement clear.

Participant 2: All easy to answer; “formal appeal” statement clear.

[Just joined in] Participant 4: Responses were clear.

14. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

Participant 3: Anyone who makes a formal request for employment with your company.

Participant 2: Same definition.

15. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

Participant 3: No.

16. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

Participant 2: No.

Participant 3: No.

17. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

18. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

Participant 3: Straightforward questions.

B6. How did this firm find out about the E-Verify program?

Participant 1: Media coverage.

11. Are there other frequently used ways of finding out about E-Verify that should be added to this list?

Participant 1: Can’t think of anything else.

Participant 4: Bill in legislature in our state; heard about it that way; publicity in newspaper – these are ways I heard about it

12. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions.

Participant 1: No.

13. If your answers included ‘government materials’ and/or ‘government web site,’ were you able to identify whether they were Federal, State, or local?

Participant 4: Yes, state.

14. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 4: No.

15. Are you answering for how you personally learned of the E-Verify program, or how your company gained the information?

Participant 1: I learned about it personally.

Participant 4: Same as Participant 1.

B7. Has this firm considered using E-Verify?

9. Is the difference between ‘Yes, and decided not to use E-Verify at this time’ and ‘No, have not considered using E-Verify’ clear enough?

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 4: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

10. Did anyone want to add a category that would say ‘Yes and have decided to use it’? [note: this answer will be picked up in the next question.]

Participant 1: Sure.

11. Did anyone choose the answer ‘Don’t know’? If so, please explain why you were unable to choose one of the other answers.

Participant 1: No.

Participant 4: No.

12. Are you answering for your own personal decision, or for a decision your company has made?

Participant 4: Personal decision I made for my company.

Participant 1: Personal decision I made for company.

B8. Does this firm plan to use E-Verify in the future?

5. Is the difference between the answer choices clear enough?

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 4: Yes.

Participant 1: Yes.

6. How many chose the answer ‘Undecided’?

Participant 1: Yes.

B9. Have you decided when you would begin to use E-Verify?

5. Did you have any difficulty answering this question?

6. Should the wording be changed to ‘approximately when’?

B10. When are you planning to begin using E-Verify?

1. Any comments on this question?

B11. What is the main reason this firm is planning to use E-Verify?

Participant 4: We are not planning this time to use it.

Participant 1: Not planning to use it; things that help us to decide is options 1 and 6.

11. Are you able to choose just one reason?

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

13. Are there other reasons that should be added to this list?

14. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions

15. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B12. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use E-Verify. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

17. Is this question clear?

Participant 1: Question is clear.

18. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

19. Is there a better way to ask this question?

20. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

21. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

22. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use E-Verify to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

23. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

Participant 1: Might want to add something about whether you foresee the program becoming mandatory in the state.

24. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

B13. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

5. Are you able to choose just one reason?

6. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

B14. Currently the E-Verify program is voluntary in most states. The following statements describe possible opinions about making the E-Verify program mandatory.

Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

11. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

Participant 3: All easy to answer regardless of size of company.

Participant 1: Agreed with Participant 3.

13. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 3: No.

14. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

15. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

B15. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

13. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Participant 1: No. I interpreted “final case finding” to mean confirmed or not confirmed.

14. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

15. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

Participant 1: The last item.

16. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

17. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

18. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

B16. Please describe the types of companies where you think it might not be useful to use an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States.

7. Discuss each participant’s answers to this question.

Participant 3: Family owned business with no other employees.

Participant 1: Small businesses in small rural isolated communities who might not have the need for this.

Participant 2: Any family owned and operated business.

Participant 4: Companies who hire a lot of unskilled workers; [answered for question, “Types of employers who might find program useful”]

8. ‘Types of companies’ could be by number of employees, by industry, by area of the country, etc. Why did you respond with the ‘type of company’ that you did?

Participant 4: Companies such as packaging companies and meat packing plants.

Participant 1: Might not be relevant to companies who obtain information other ways (e.g., transcripts)

9. Would using an electronic program like this be useful regardless of type of company?

Participant 2: I didn’t add any reasons for that.

B17. Is this firm an Employment Service Provider? That is, does your firm provide temporary workers for clients or refer job applicants to employers wishing to hire new employees?

7. How do you interpret the phrase ‘Employment Service Provider’? Is our definition clear and correct?

8. Would the term ‘staffing agency’ be clearer here? If so, how would you define ‘staffing agency’?

9. Is there a better way to ask this question?

B18. Have any of your clients ever requested that you only provide workers who are work-authorized?

5. If yes, what type of clients? What were their reasons? Were you able to comply with their request? How? Were they talking about using E-Verify to check the work authorization?

6. Do you think ‘work-authorized’ would be clearer if we changed it to ‘authorized to work in the United States’?

B19. How do you currently verify that your employees (or prospective employees) are authorized to work?

13. How do you interpret the phrase ‘prospective employees’?

Participant 1: Applicants.

Participant 4: Applicants.

14. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

15. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

Participant 1: All categories are relevant to question.

16. Are there any other common ways that a firm could use that should be added here?

Participant 3: Covered pretty well.

17. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected? Did anyone select code 8 AND another category?

Participant 1: Yes; 2,3,5,6,9.

Participant 3: Yes; 3,4,5.

Participant 2: 4,5.

Participant 4: 1,2,3,5,6.

18. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 1: Yes; We verify employment history, places and dates back to college or high school; 3 letters of recommendation; work references; state vulnerable people’s registry in TN; finger print check.

B20. For what types of workers do you verify work authorization?

13. What do you think we mean by the phrase ‘what types of workers’?

Participant 1: Categories like professional, unprofessional skills.

Participant 2: Different skilled/unskilled workers.

Participant 3: Question seems somewhat irrelevant because all types of workers should be verified. Suggestion: changing question to “Which of the following do you verify” would make it easier to understand the question.

Participant 4: We verify all workers as well.

14. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

15. Are there any other types of workers that should be added here?

16. Would it be helpful if we added specific examples for ‘those filling specific jobs’?

17. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

18. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category, or the specific job category? If so, what type of workers were those?

B21. On average, how much time does your company spend per new employee on verifying authorization to work?

7. Were you able to answer this question?

8. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

9. Is there a better way to ask for average amount of time needed to verify authorization to work per person?

B22. During calendar year 2008 how many new hires did your company find were not authorized to work?

9. Were you able to answer this question?

10. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

11. What does ‘not authorized to work’ mean to you?

12. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ or would it be easier to answer for fiscal year instead?

B23. Where are the Form I-9s completed?

7. How did you answer this question?

8. How did you interpret the term ‘completed’

9. Did you need to consult with someone else in order to be able to respond to this question?

B24. Do you currently use any form of electronic I-9?

5. Did you understand what is meant by the term ‘electronic I-9’?

6. Did anyone answer ‘yes’ to this question?

B25. Are the electronic Form I-9s done in-house or by another company?

3. What do you think is meant by the term ‘in-house’?

B26. When in the hiring process is the Form I-9 completed?

7. How do you interpret the phrase ‘in the hiring process’?

Participant 1: From time you receive an application/resume until the point they are hired or not hired.

Participant 3: When person is offered job but have not yet accepted worked.

8. Were you able to select only one response?

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

9. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 2: No.

B27. There are many ways that a firm can decide when a person is considered to be a ‘new hire.’ What definition would your firm use to define a ‘new hire’?

11. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 2: No.

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

Participant 1: No.

13. Are there any other definitions of a ‘new hire’ that should be added to the list?

Participant 3: No.

14. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 2: No.

15. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 2: No.

B28. Which of the following do you at least sometimes require from job applicants or new hires before (referring them/placing them/they can start working)?

7. Were there any categories that were not clear?

8. Are there any other tests or items that you require that should be added to the list?

9. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B29. What would make your task of verifying employment authorization of workers easier for you?

Participant 3: Question is clear. Would like to see on list, “Clear and concise guidelines from local and state governments”. .

15. How would you interpret the term ‘easier for you’?

16. Is there a better way to ask this question?

17. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

18. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

19. Do we need a response that says ‘Verifying employment authorization is already easy for us’?

Participant 1: Doubt you would get any responses.

All agree.

20. Are there any other ways that this task could be made easier that should be added here?

21. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

SECTION C: Employer Characteristics

C1. The sample we are using for this survey came from Dunn & Bradstreet. According to that sample, this firm is listed as being in the industry category of (SEE INDUSTRY LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET). Is that correct?

7. Are you familiar with Dunn & Bradstreet? Do we need to provide more information here regarding who they are and what their business is? Or would it make more sense to just provide a more general description of the company that provided our sample?

All were familiar with the firm.

Participant 1: Yes, information on company would be helpful.

All agreed.

All agree.

8. Is this question clear?

Participant 3: Question is clear.

9. Was the ‘industry category’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Participant 2: Yes.

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 4: Yes.

C2. What industry category do you think this firm is in?

7. Were the industry categories that are listed for this question clear enough that you could use them to code your industry?

8. Are there any other industries that should be added here?

9. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

C3. According to the Dunn & Bradstreet sample, this firm is listed as having (SEE COMPANY SIZE LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET) employees as of the end of calendar year 2008. This includes all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees.

Is that size category correct?

What types of employees besides full-time permanent employees did you include in your size estimate?

Participant 3: We included all employees. Our primary industry is restaurant; 90% of our employees would be part time.

Participant 1: We hire mostly regular employees.

Participant 2: Question was clear; included all employees; 90% of employees are part time.

Participant 4: Would say the same, may want to add part time in the question.

14. Is this question clear?

15. Are the directions on how to calculate the number of employees working at your company easy or difficult to understand? If difficult, what is unclear about the directions and what would you suggest we change to make it easier to understand?

Participant 2: Clear.

Participant 3: Clear.

Participant 1: Clear.

16. Was the ‘Company Size’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 4 Yes.

17. How many employees did you have at the end of calendar year 2008, including all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees?

Participant 1: Yes; ran a computer report of all hires.

Participant 3: Yes; ran a computer and turnover report.

Participant 2: Yes; turnover report.

Participant 4: Yes.

18. [For participants who could provide a number] Was this an exact count or an estimate?

19. [For participants who could not provide a number] Could you provide an estimate? If not, could you place your company in one of the size categories in the next question?

C4. What Size Category do you think this firm is in?

5. Were the size categories that are listed for this question appropriate for you to code your company size?

6. Are there any other size categories that should be added here, or would you prefer to just give an answer of the actual number of employees?

C5. During all of calendar year 2008, approximately how many people were hired by this company, including people hired at this firm to work in this location or in other locations of the firm?

7. Were you able to answer this question?

8. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

9. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead?

C6. During calendar year 2008, approximately how many employees quit or were terminated at this company?

7. Were you able to answer this question?

8. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

9. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead? IF ANYONE SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM, SAY: Would changing this to “During fiscal year 2007-2008” make this easier to answer?

C7. How much seasonal hiring does your company do?

11. How would you interpret the term ‘seasonal hiring’?

Participant 2: Clear; we do a lot of seasonal hiring.

Participant 4: Clear; we don’t hire for summer school so we don’t consider ourselves to hire seasonally.

Participant 1: Clear.

12. Is there a better way to ask this question?

13. Are there too many categories to choose from?

Participant 2: Pretty accurate list.

14. What does each category mean to you? For example, how do you interpret the phrase ‘A moderate amount’?

Participant 3: Depends on size of company; 10-15 may be small for smaller companies but 25-75 may be small for larger companies; changing the question to ask about % would provide more precise information.

All agreed.

15. Could you answer this question with a percentage of your yearly hiring, such as ‘30% would be seasonal’?

C8. What are the peak months for hiring employees at this company?

7. How would you interpret the term ‘peak months for hiring’?

8. Is there a better way to ask this question?

9. Should we add categories for fall, winter, spring, and summer?

C9. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company are Salaried, Skilled hourly, Unskilled hourly

7. Were you able to answer this question?

8. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

9. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

C10. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company would you say were born outside the U.S.?

13. Were you willing to answer this question?

Participant 1: yes.

Participant 3: Yes.

Participant 2: Yes.

Participant 4 Yes.

14. Were you able to answer this question?

Participant 1: Yes.

Participant 4: Yes.

Participant 3: Gave a ballpark based on tour of the store, and knowledge gained here and there.

15. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

Participant 4: Our process is similar to Participant 3’s; we are not a large employer of foreign born employees.

Participant 1: Looked at a list of our employees and then had our personal guy check; our fingerprint application asks what country they were born in.

Participant 2: Did a guess, used a ballpark guess; didn’t want to take up time from HR department.

16. What does ‘born outside the U.S.’ mean to you?

17. What kind of employees do you think of when answering this question?

18. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a large employer to answer?

C11. What additional comments or suggestions do you have regarding electronic employment authorization verification?

Participant 1: If survey could present or ask about how the program may save employers time, which might help folks respond or respond positively.

Participant 3: I think the program will not work if we don’t move towards mandating its use. But the program needs to be made easy for employers.

Participant 2: No additional comments.

Participant 4: Agreed with Participant 3. One other comment I would make is that we are not a large school so expense is a consideration for us. The state’s system has to be in place to handle all the information to make the process easier for employers.

NON-USER Web Survey Focus Group Script

Small Employers

(Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST)

Note Takers Template

Introductions

Participant 1: NJ; Less than 10 employees; Staffing Agency

*Only one respondent participated in this focus group.

General questions (Slide 7)

1. Do you think most small companies would be able to answer all of the questions?

1a (If not) Which questions do you think they would not be able to answer?

No. {Moderator: Which questions would they have difficulty with?} Being able to verify employment status through the computer because the infrastructure process and procedures would add an additional cost to small businesses. They do not have sufficient resources and personnel with dedicated responsibility.

1b (If not) In general, was the question itself a problem or was it the whole section or topic that was the problem? Why do you think they would be unable to answer the question / topic?

1c Any other comments?

2. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the questionnaire?

2a In your opinion, was that amount of time too long?

Not long. Self explanatory probably. (He didn’t complete the entire survey ahead of time).

2b Did you have to take any questions to someone else to answer?

2c Any other comments?

3. In general, were the questions clear?

3a How could the question be clarified or made more understandable?

Yes.

3b Any other comments?

4. Do you think small companies would be bothered by our asking any of the questions on the survey form?

4a (If so) Do you have suggestion{Moderator: Do you think most would actually complete the survey?} Yes, most would do so.

4b (If so) Do we need to do a better job of explaining that all responses are confidential? Are there other things we should do to overcome any hesitancy regarding confidentiality?

4c Do you think other employers will answer the questions honestly?

4d (If not) How could we overcome this concern?

5. Do you think most employers would complete our survey?

Yes.

5a (If not) Why not?

5b (If not) What could we do to encourage them to complete it?

5c Will it be a problem for small employers to do the survey on the web?

No, not at all. {Moderator: Do you think most would have access to the web?} It would depend on the type of business that you’re targeting and whether they had an Internet connection.

5d Do you think a monetary incentive would help to motivate employers to complete the survey? How much do you suggest?

Yes. He suggests at least $100.

5e Would an endorsement letter from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) make it more likely for you to complete the survey?

No.

{Moderator: Any other factors would motivate employers?}

Nothing. The questions are pretty easy and self explanatory.

What additional questions or topics do you think we should have included in order to objectively evaluate how companies are checking for work authorization and whether they would be willing to use the E-Verify program?

Questions about the survey introduction and instructions

4. How difficult was it to follow the instructions throughout the survey?

Individual Survey Questions for E-Verify Non-Users

SECTION A: Respondent Information

A2. Your name was given as the person who would be appropriate to respond to this survey. Please enter the information requested below.

7. Did you have any concerns about providing your name and/or contact information?

No.

8. If yes, what were those concerns?

A3. A ‘single location firm’ is a company with only one location. A ‘multiple location firm’ is a company with more than one location; this could be separate branches or establishments that have one central headquarters.

Which type of company is your firm?

A single location firm.

The answer categories are:

Single location firm (or franchise)

Multiple location firm

Don’t know

10. Would you be able to answer this question?

Yes.

11. Are the definitions clear enough?

Yes.

12. Would it be clearer if we said ‘company’ rather than ‘firm’?

SECTION B: Never Used E-Verify

B1. Before receiving this survey, had you ever heard of the E-Verify (or the Basic Pilot) program that can be used to verify the employment authorization status?

No. He has never heard of E-Verify.

19. What do you think “to verify employment authorization status” means?

Yes.

20. Was it difficult to answer this question?

No.

21. How many said “yes” to this question – you had heard of E-Verify before we called you? And how many said “no”?

22. Did anyone say yes because you had heard of “the Basic Pilot Program”? If so, had you also heard of E-Verify?

23. In your own words, how would you describe E-Verify to someone who didn’t know what the program is?

24. When and where did you hear of E-Verify?

B2. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

28. What do you think the phrase “electronic program to verify the employment authorization status of new employees” means?

29. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

30. Is this question clear?

31. Is there a better way to ask this question?

32. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

Not at all.

33. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

The part about the Internet connection should be deleted. Since every household probably has an Internet connection, he would think most small businesses would as well. It is too granular. Everything else is okay.

34. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use an electronic program to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

They would only be reluctant because they would think it was too costly and time consuming.

35. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

36. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

B3. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

13. Are you able to choose just one reason?

Number one- We rarely hired new employees.

14. Does using the term “E-Verify’ in this question cause any problems?

No.

15. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

16. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

B4. The following statements describe possible opinions about an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States by comparing information on the Form I-9 with information on SSA and USCIS databases. Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

16. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

Something that everyone needs to comply with.

17. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

No, it is easy to understand.

18. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

No.

19. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

No.

20. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

No.

B5. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

19. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

Not really.

20. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

The person who is applying for the job or the candidate.

21. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

No.

22. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

No.

23. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

24. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

B6. How did this firm find out about the E-Verify program?

16. Are there other frequently used ways of finding out about E-Verify that should be added to this list?

17. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions.

18. If your answers included ‘government materials’ and/or ‘government web site,’ were you able to identify whether they were Federal, State, or local?

19. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

20. Are you answering for how you personally learned of the E-Verify program, or how your company gained the information?

B7. Has this firm considered using E-Verify?

13. Is the difference between ‘Yes, and decided not to use E-Verify at this time’ and ‘No, have not considered using E-Verify’ clear enough?

14. Did anyone want to add a category that would say ‘Yes and have decided to use it’? [note: this answer will be picked up in the next question.]

15. Did anyone choose the answer ‘Don’t know’? If so, please explain why you were unable to choose one of the other answers.

16. Are you answering for your own personal decision, or for a decision your company has made?

B8. Does this firm plan to use E-Verify in the future?

7. Is the difference between the answer choices clear enough?

8. How many chose the answer ‘Undecided’?

B9. Have you decided when you would begin to use E-Verify?

7. Did you have any difficulty answering this question?

8. Should the wording be changed to ‘approximately when’?

B10. When are you planning to begin using E-Verify?

1. Any comments on this question?

B11. What is the main reason this firm is planning to use E-Verify?

16. Are you able to choose just one reason?

17. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

18. Are there other reasons that should be added to this list?

19. Are any of these features unclear or in need of definitions

20. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B12. The following are reasons that some firms may be reluctant to use E-Verify. Please consider each of the following statements and select the answer that best represents the views of this company.

25. Is this question clear?

26. How do you interpret the phrase ‘reluctant to use’?

27. Is there a better way to ask this question?

28. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

29. Were there any ‘reasons’ that you think should be deleted?

30. Are there any other common reasons why a firm would be reluctant to use E-Verify to verify employment authorization that should be added here?

31. Did anyone add an ‘other reason’ response? If so, what was it?

32. Were the answer choices clear? (a somewhat important reason, etc.)

B13. Which one of the following reasons is the most important for why your firm decided not to use E-Verify at this time?

7. Are you able to choose just one reason?

8. Does the phrase “at this time’ cause any problems?

B14. Currently the E-Verify program is voluntary in most states. The following statements describe possible opinions about making the E-Verify program mandatory.

Please select the answers that best describe your opinions regarding these statements.

16. What do you think we mean when we talk about a ‘mandatory’ program?

17. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

18. Are any of these statements unclear or hard to answer?

19. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements? If so, which ones?

20. Are there other statements that you think should be added to this question?

B15. A mandatory electronic verification program could have many different features. What are your opinions about the desirability of each of these features if such a program were made mandatory?

19. Are any of these features unclear or hard to answer? (Probe with the 8^th listed feature and ask if they understand it: ‘Allow a formal appeal by an employer and/or employee of a final case finding’)

20. How would you define a ‘job applicant’?

21. Did you respond with “No opinion” to any of these statements?

22. Are there any statements that should be deleted from this question?

23. Are there other statements that should be added to this question? (Ask about the Other Specify)

24. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

B16. Please describe the types of companies where you think it might not be useful to use an electronic program that verifies whether employees are authorized to work in the United States.

10. Discuss each participant’s answers to this question.

{Moderator: What types of companies do you think those might be?} Small retail, maintenance, and cash business companies because they don’t have to report taxes.

11. ‘Types of companies’ could be by number of employees, by industry, by area of the country, etc. Why did you respond with the ‘type of company’ that you did?

12. Would using an electronic program like this be useful regardless of type of company?

B17. Is this firm an Employment Service Provider? That is, does your firm provide temporary workers for clients or refer job applicants to employers wishing to hire new employees?

For some cases yes.

10. How do you interpret the phrase ‘Employment Service Provider’? Is our definition clear and correct?

Temp Agency.

11. Would the term ‘staffing agency’ be clearer here? If so, how would you define ‘staffing agency’?

Yes. Consultant, temporary to permanent type of work.

12. Is there a better way to ask this question?

B18. Have any of your clients ever requested that you only provide workers who are work-authorized?

Yes.

7. If yes, what type of clients? What were their reasons? Were you able to comply with their request? How? Were they talking about using E-Verify to check the work authorization?

All of their clients made such requests. Yes, they were able to comply. No, he hasn’t heard them mention E-Verify.

8. Do you think ‘work-authorized’ would be clearer if we changed it to ‘authorized to work in the United States’?

Yes. You need to be specific and can consider including status.

B19. How do you currently verify that your employees (or prospective employees) are authorized to work?

19. How do you interpret the phrase ‘prospective employees’?

Possible employees.

20. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

21. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

No.

22. Are there any other common ways that a firm could use that should be added here?

No.

23. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected? Did anyone select code 8 AND another category?

He would select more than one category: Check references, verify SS number, and conduct background checks.

24. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B20. For what types of workers do you verify work authorization?

All employees must be verified and classified on either a temporary visa, student visa, green card etc. which should be clarified.

{Moderator: Should any categories be added?} Subcategorize for noncitizens and then categorize so that they can indicate their current status.

19. What do you think we mean by the phrase ‘what types of workers’?

20. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

21. Are there any other types of workers that should be added here?

22. Would it be helpful if we added specific examples for ‘those filling specific jobs’?

23. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

24. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category, or the specific job category? If so, what type of workers were those?

B21. On average, how much time does your company spend per new employee on verifying authorization to work?

10. Were you able to answer this question?

Yes. Probably 5-14 minutes or less.

11. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

12. Is there a better way to ask for average amount of time needed to verify authorization to work per person?

No.

B22. During calendar year 2008 how many new hires did your company find were not authorized to work?

None.

13. Were you able to answer this question?

Yes.

14. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

I-9 forms.

15. What does ‘not authorized to work’ mean to you?

16. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ or would it be easier to answer for fiscal year instead?

He prefers to answer for the Calendar year.

B23. Where are the Form I-9s completed?

10. How did you answer this question?

At headquarters.

11. How did you interpret the term ‘completed’

Verifying, identifying the status and determining whether they are authorized to work in the U.S.

12. Did you need to consult with someone else in order to be able to respond to this question?

No. {Moderator: Do you think that would be typical of most small businesses?} Yes.

B24. Do you currently use any form of electronic I-9?

No.

7. Did you understand what is meant by the term ‘electronic I-9’?

Yes.

8. Did anyone answer ‘yes’ to this question?

B25. Are the electronic Form I-9s done in-house or by another company?

4. What do you think is meant by the term ‘in-house’?

B26. When in the hiring process is the Form I-9 completed?

When the person applies for a job.

10. How do you interpret the phrase ‘in the hiring process’?

It’s clear.

11. Were you able to select only one response?

Yes.

12. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B27. There are many ways that a firm can decide when a person is considered to be a ‘new hire.’ What definition would your firm use to define a ‘new hire’?

Same words-new hire.

16. Were there any categories that were not clear?

No.

17. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

18. Are there any other definitions of a ‘new hire’ that should be added to the list?

You covered everything.

19. Did you select more than one category? If so, what combinations were selected?

{Moderator: Would you be able to select just one category?} He would choose the second one. They comply with all of them but they usually consider new hires to be those that they make a conditional job offer to and have accepted the offer.

20. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B28. Which of the following do you at least sometimes require from job applicants or new hires before (referring them/placing them/they can start working)?

10. Were there any categories that were not clear?

Yes.

11. Are there any other tests or items that you require that should be added to the list?

No, you covered it all. Well, you can consider adding regular background checks, job reference types, and verification of the date of employment- which is what we use.

12. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

B29. What would make your task of verifying employment authorization of workers easier for you?

22. How would you interpret the term ‘easier for you’?

23. Is there a better way to ask this question?

24. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

No. Most won’t use this for small business because of the additional cost and time.

25. Were there any categories that should be deleted?

26. Do we need a response that says ‘Verifying employment authorization is already easy for us’?

No.

27. Are there any other ways that this task could be made easier that should be added here?

28. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

SECTION C: Employer Characteristics

C1. The sample we are using for this survey came from Dunn & Bradstreet. According to that sample, this firm is listed as being in the industry category of (SEE INDUSTRY LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET). Is that correct?

Yes.

10. Are you familiar with Dunn & Bradstreet? Do we need to provide more information here regarding who they are and what their business is? Or would it make more sense to just provide a more general description of the company that provided our sample?

Yes. Yes, you should provide more information on their business.

11. Is this question clear?

12. Was the ‘industry category’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Employment services. Yes, it is correct.

C2. What industry category do you think this firm is in?

Employment services.

10. Were the industry categories that are listed for this question clear enough that you could use them to code your industry?

11. Are there any other industries that should be added here?

12. Did anyone use the ‘Other, specify’ category? If so, what were your answers there?

C3. According to the Dunn & Bradstreet sample, this firm is listed as having (SEE COMPANY SIZE LISTED ON THE INFORMATION SHEET) employees as of the end of calendar year 2008. This includes all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees.

Is that size category correct?

Small size. Yes, that is correct.

20. What types of employees besides full-time permanent employees did you include in your size estimate?

21. Is this question clear?

22. Are the directions on how to calculate the number of employees working at your company easy or difficult to understand? If difficult, what is unclear about the directions and what would you suggest we change to make it easier to understand?

Easy.

23. Was the ‘Company Size’ that was listed for your firm correct?

Yes.

24. How many employees did you have at the end of calendar year 2008, including all employees at all locations on your company’s payroll regardless of where they work, whether they work full-time, and whether they are permanent employees?

Seven.

25. [For participants who could provide a number] Was this an exact count or an estimate?

26. [For participants who could not provide a number] Could you provide an estimate? If not, could you place your company in one of the size categories in the next question?

C4. What Size Category do you think this firm is in?

*Not asked because answered already.

7. Were the size categories that are listed for this question appropriate for you to code your company size?

8. Are there any other size categories that should be added here, or would you prefer to just give an answer of the actual number of employees?

C5. During all of calendar year 2008, approximately how many people were hired by this company, including people hired at this firm to work in this location or in other locations of the firm?

Two.

10. Were you able to answer this question?

Yes.

11. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

12. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead?

C6. During calendar year 2008, approximately how many employees quit or were terminated at this company?

Two.

10. Were you able to answer this question?

Yes.

11. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

12. Can you answer for ‘calendar year 2008’ if your company uses fiscal year for its hiring reports instead? IF ANYONE SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM, SAY: Would changing this to “During fiscal year 2007-2008” make this easier to answer?

C7. How much seasonal hiring does your company do?

None.

16. How would you interpret the term ‘seasonal hiring’?

When business is over the norm are there more recruiting efforts for early fiscal year or for summer when there is a slower period? At these times do companies increase their volume of hiring? No we don’t- we maintain our staff.

17. Is there a better way to ask this question?

18. Are there too many categories to choose from?

19. What does each category mean to you? For example, how do you interpret the phrase ‘A moderate amount’?

Yes, they make sense. They are self explanatory.

20. Could you answer this question with a percentage of your yearly hiring, such as ‘30% would be seasonal’?

No, because it doesn’t apply to us.

C8. What are the peak months for hiring employees at this company?

10. How would you interpret the term ‘peak months for hiring’?

11. Is there a better way to ask this question?

12. Should we add categories for fall, winter, spring, and summer?

C9. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company are Salaried, Skilled hourly, Unskilled hourly

A little bit of both salaried and skilled hourly. They have an office manager who is salaried while the recruiters are salaried plus commission based.

{Moderator: Should we add something about the commission based? Would that make things more clear?} Yes, you should.

10. Were you able to answer this question?

Yes.

11. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

12. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

C10. Approximately what percent of current employees of this company would you say were born outside the U.S.?

19. Were you willing to answer this question?

Sure.

20. Were you able to answer this question?

21. What process did you use to try to come up with this response?

He would look at the job applications.

22. What does ‘born outside the U.S.’ mean to you?

Whether they were born here in the U.S. or not, where were you born?

23. What kind of employees do you think of when answering this question?

24. Are there any reasons that this question may be especially easy or more difficult for a small employer to answer?

C11. What additional comments or suggestions do you have regarding electronic employment authorization verification?

No, nothing.