National Survey of E-Verify Employers Pretest

Collection of Qualitative Feedback through Focus Groups

Attachment D Moderator Guide for Focus Groups

National Survey of E-Verify Employers Pretest

OMB: 1615-0126

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Attachment D: Moderator Guide for Focus Groups--All Items, November 2, 2017


OMB # 1615-0126 Expires: xx/xx/20xx


DHS Privacy Notice



AUTHORITIES: The information requested on this survey is collected under 6 U.S.C. 271 and the Illegal

Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), Public Law 104-208, Sec. 401-

405 (Sept. 30, 1996), as amended and codified at 8 U.S.C. 1324a note.



PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested information on this survey is assist USCIS with determining whether: (1) new and revised questions for the E-Verify National Survey of Employers are clear and easy to answer; (2) questions convey the intended meaning; (3) information requested is available; and (4) questions require an excessive amount of time to complete.



DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary.



ROUTINE USES: Westat, the authorized contractor acting on behalf of USCIS, may share an overall summary of the responses you provide on this survey with USCIS. However, there are procedures to protect the confidentiality of employer respondents individual survey responses. DHS follows approved routine uses described in the associated published system of records notice [DHS/USCIS-011 E-Verify Program] and the published privacy impact assessment [DHS/USCIS/PIA-030 E-Verify] which you can find at www.dhs.gov/privacy.


Paperwork Reduction Action Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, and completing and submitting the form. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Research and Evaluation Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20529-2210. OMB No. 1615-0126. Do not return the completed form to this address.



Attachment D


2018 National Survey of E-Verify Employers


Moderator Guide for Focus Groups: All Items

(Focus Group conducted online via WebEx webinar)


Note: Groups will be assigned slightly different subsets of items



Hello, everyone! My name is___________, the facilitator for today’s focus group. I am part of a research team at Westat, a social science research firm in Rockville, Maryland. First of all, I would like to thank you for agreeing to participate in this discussion.


As stated in the USCIS letter we sent you, the purpose of this focus group is to obtain feedback from companies on a draft survey of E-Verify users before it is finalized for the full study later this year.


I would like to quickly review some guidelines for today’s meeting.


First, please make sure you have your completed copy of the survey available to look at during the discussion.


  • There is no right or wrong answer to any of the questions and issues we will discuss today. We encourage your candid opinions and suggestions.


  • We want to hear what each person has to say, so we ask that only one person speak at a time.


  • All information from discussions will be kept private. We will not use your name or the name of your company in any reports or notes. Please speak honestly and candidly so we can hear as many perspectives as possible. Therefore, can we all agree NOT to share information from the focus group with anyone outside of the group? [Wait for everyone to say “yes.”]


  • With me are a few observers who are part of the Westat research team who are very interested in hearing your opinions and one of them is taking notes as a backup to the audio recording. We are audio recording the discussion so I can focus on listening to your comments.


  • Because we are audiotaping the discussion, I need you to speak in a voice as loud as mine. If your voice gets too low, I’ll ask you to speak up.


  • When you begin to respond to a question or make a comment, please start by stating your first name only, so that I can identify the speaker while also protecting privacy.


  • Please use your phone handset rather than the speakerphone, if possible, when you are speaking. The speakerphone is more likely to distort the sound or pick up background noise.


  • We have many questions to cover in a short period of time; therefore, I apologize now if I must interrupt you so we can move on to the next topic. If time permits, I will return to any unfinished discussions.


Does everyone have their completed copy of the survey available to look at during our discussion? We will ask you questions about each of the highlighted survey questions you were asked to review and comment on. We will post these “questions about the questions” on your computer screen.


Are there any questions before we begin? [Wait for them to ask questions.]


Let’s begin by introducing ourselves. Please tell us your first name and the type of work your company does. For example, I am _____ and I work for a social science research company.


First, I have a few general questions for you.


  • How easy or difficult was it to follow the instructions throughout the survey?


  • What was the total amount of time it took you to complete the survey?


  • Were you able to answer all the questions by yourself or did you need to get any answers from co-workers? If you needed help, for what types of questions?


Now let’s talk about specific survey items. As we go through the questionnaire, we may reach a question where you had difficulty providing the answer—for example, you may not have understood the question, you may not have had any good way to find the answer, or it may have been very time consuming to try to find an answer. I will try to ask about the areas where we think you were most likely to have problems, but please let me know about any problems whether I ask or not, or even if I skip a question.


As you know, our focus is on the highlighted questions, so let’s begin with Question _______

SECTION A: Contact and Company Background Information


A5. Is your company an E-Verify Employer Agent (EEA)?


  • Looking at the question stem, what do you think about the definition of E-Verify Employer Agent? [PROBE:]

    • Was it accurate? Was it clear? [IF UNCLEAR, ASK:] What was unclear?

    • How would you define an E-Verify Employer Agent?



  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What do you think will help make the question easier?


  • Did you have to consult with anyone to answer the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


A6. Does your company have an E-Verify Employer Agent?

  • Was anything unclear about the description of an E-Verify Employer Agent in the question stem? [IF YES, ASK:]

  • What was unclear?

  • What do you think will help make it clearer?


  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What do you think will help make the question easier?


  • Did you have to consult with anyone to answer the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was it?


A9. Please indicate whether your company has used E-Verify for your own workers or your clients’ workers in the past 12 months.

This company has used E-Verify for its own workers only

This company has used E-Verify for its clients’ workers only

This company has used E-Verify for both its own workers and clients’ workers

NOTE: This question was asked if employer self-identified as EEA.


  • What do you think this question was asking?


  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question?

    • [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:] What made it difficult?

    • [IF DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION:] What do you think will help make the question easier to understand?


  • Did you have to consult with anyone to answer the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was it?


  • What do you think are some reasons for EEAs verifying only their clients’ workers in the last 12 months and not verifying their own workers?

    • Did anyone select this answer? [IF YES, ASK:]

      • Has your company ever verified your own workers? [IF NO, ASK:] Why not?



A10. Why is your company not verifying clients’ workers?

NOTE: This question was asked if EEAs verified only their own workers in past 12 months.


  • Did you have to consult with anyone to answer the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was it?


  • Was anything unclear about the response categories provided in the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

  • What was unclear?

  • What do you think will help make it clearer?

  • What are some other reasons for EEAs not verifying clients’ workers in the preceding 12 months?



A11. Does your company access the E-Verify website in the following ways?

Go directly to the E-Verify website ((https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/Login.aspx)

Have customized software (e.g., a human resource software system)


  • What did you think this question was asking? What did “going directly to the E-Verify website” mean to you?


  • [IF DIRECT ACCESS USERS, ASK:] How does your company access E-Verify? How clear was it that part (a) of the question was describing the way your company accesses E-Verify? [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK:],

    • What would help make the question clearer?

    • What did you have to do to answer the question?


  • [IF USE CUSTOMIZED SOFTWARE, ASK:] How does your company access E-Verify? How clear was it that part (b) of the question was describing the way your company accesses E-Verify? [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK:],

    • What would help make the question clearer?

    • What did you have to do to answer the question?

    • Can you tell us a little bit about the software your company uses to access E-Verify?


  • Did anyone leave this question blank because they did not know the answer? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • What would you have to do to get the information needed to answer the question?

    • How time consuming would it be?




A12. Does your company access the E-Verify website at least sometimes to perform the following tasks:

Create E-Verify cases for employees,

Conduct Photo Matching,

Respond to requests to “Check Information,”

Process Tentative Nonconfirmations,

Conduct the referral process for DHS or SSA Tentative Nonconfirmations,

Close cases

NOTE: Question is asked only of Web services companies using both E-Verify website and customized software


  • How clear was the description of each listed task? [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK:]

    • What would help make the question clearer?

    • What did you have to do to answer the question?


  • [IF NOT DISCUSSED IN BULLET ABOVE, ASK:]:

    • What does “Respond to requests to Check Information” mean to you?

    • What does “Conduct the referral process for DHS or SSA Tentative Nonconfirmations” mean to you?


  • Did you have to consult with someone to answer the question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How much time did it take?


  • Are there other tasks your company performs that would prompt you to access the E-Verify website?

    • [IF YES, ASK], what are they? Do you think these tasks happen often enough to add to this list?




SECTION B: Implementing the E-Verify System



B7. For your company, how helpful are each of the following resources and features that are provided as part of E-Verify:

The online E-Verify User Manual M-775,

The online E-Verify Web Services User Manual,

The E-Verify Quick Reference Guide for Web Services

The Interface Control Agreement

NOTE: Question is asked only of employers using customized software

  • Did you understand each of the resources and features when you first read the question? [IF NO, ASK:]

  • Did you look up any of these resources to find out what they were?

  • [IF YES, ASK], Were you able to find out what it was?

    • [IF ABLE TO FIND OUT, ASK] How did you get this information?


    • [IF NOT ABLE TO FIND OUT, ASK:] Given that you could not find the information, what would your next steps be to try to gather information on these resources?


  • Have you used the online E-Verify User Manual M-775?

    • [IF NO, ASK] What are the reasons for not using it?

    • [IF NOT AWARE OF IT, ASK:] Did/would you try to find out what this is?

      • [IF YES, ASK], Were you able to find out what it was?

        • [IF ABLE TO FIND OUT, ASK] How did you get this information?


[IF NOT ABLE TO FIND OUT, ASK:] Given that you could not find the information, what would your next steps be to try to gather information on these resources?

  • What are some other E-Verify resources or features that your company has found to be helpful?





SECTION C: Experiences with E-Verify



C5. Why would you be unlikely to continue using E-Verify?

b. E-Verify is burdensome to use.

[NOTE: This question is asked only of mandated users that (a) would not use E-Verify if no longer required to do so and (b) answered ‘Yes’ to question C5b on the questionnaire]

  • What did the statement, “E-Verify is burdensome to use” mean to you when you first read it?

  • What makes E-Verify burdensome for your company (C6)


  • [IF ANSWER TO B8 IS ‘VERY USER-FRIENDLY’ OR ‘MODERATELY USER-FRIENDLY,’ ASK:] We noticed some of you answered ____________ to question B8, which asks whether E-Verify is user-friendly. Can you say more about why E-Verify is user-friendly but also burdensome for your company?


C10. How easy is it for E-Verify users at your company to address the following situations related to passwords:

Reset the password using the self-service tools

Reset the password by calling the E-Verify Help Desk


  • Did you have to consult with someone else to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How much time did it take?


  • What do you think question C10a is asking?

  • Did you have any difficulty answering question C10a?

    • [IF YES, ASK:] What made it difficult?

    • Are you aware of the self-service tools for resetting passwords?

      • [IF NO, ASK:] Did you try to find out about it?

[IF YES, ASK:] What did you do?



  • Did you have any difficulty answering question C10b? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What did you have to do to answer the question?


  • Have you ever had to reset your password either using the self-service tools or calling the E-Verify Help Desk? [IF YES, ASK]

    • Can you tell us a little about your experience?

    • Have you reset your password in any other way?

    • [IF YES, ASK] Please tell us more about this.



C13. To what extent was the overall cost of setting up E-Verify a problem for your company?

Examples of setup costs include costs for developing or purchasing Web services software, initial training of E-Verify staff, computer hardware and Internet access, filing cabinets and other office equipment, and any other related costs. We are interested in your general perceptions; no need to calculate costs.

NOTE: This question is only for Web services users.

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult? [IF RECALL IS NOT MENTIONED AS A PROBLEM, ASK:]

    • How easy or difficult was it to remember detailed costs for setting up E-Verify?


  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • When you first read the question, did you notice that one of the examples of setup costs was “Developing or purchasing Web services software?”

  • [IF NO, ASK:] What can we do to make this example more noticeable?

  • How does the cost for Web services software compare with other setup costs in terms of dollar amount or burden?


  • Are there other set-up costs that we should include in the examples? Should we drop any?


C14. To what extent is the overall cost of maintaining E-Verify a problem for your company?

Examples of maintenance costs include costs for upgrading software to meet new E-Verify requirements, training of replacement E-Verify staff, wages for E-Verify staff, computer maintenance and Internet access, and any other related costs. We are interested in your general perceptions; no need to calculate costs.

NOTE: This question is only for Web services users.

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult?

  • What can we do to make it easier?


  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • When you first read the question, did you notice that one of the examples of maintenance costs was “Upgrading software to meet new E-Verify requirements?”

  • [IF NO, ASK:] What can we do to make this example more noticeable?

  • How does the cost to upgrade software compare with other maintenance costs in terms of dollar amount or burden?


  • Are there other maintenance costs that we should include in the examples? Should we drop any?


C16. When processing the Form I-9, how often does your company take the following steps?

Examine documents to determine if they appear to be genuine

Examine document to determine if they belong to the worker


  • What do you think this question is asking?

    • [IF NOT MENTIONED, ASK] Is it clear this was referring to the processing of Form I-9 and not E-Verify paperwork?


  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult?

  • What can we do to make it easier to answer?


  • If there are other staff verifying workers at your company, did you consult with them before answering this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • How time consuming was this process?


C17. When you examine workers’ documents during the Form I-9 process to determine if they appear to be genuine, what do you check?



  • Did you have to read any part of this question more than once to understand what was being asked? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which part did you have to read more than once?

    • What can we do to make the question clearer?


  • What do you think is meant by documents that “appear to be genuine”?

  • What do you do to check if the documents appear to be genuine?

  • What, if anything, makes it difficult to check if the documents are genuine? What would help make it easier for you to check?


C18. If you determine that the documents are NOT genuine, what do you do?

Accept the documents and enter the information into E-Verify;

Ask for alternative documents before taking further action;

Do not hire the worker;

Fire the worker;

Other (Specify)



  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What can we do to make it easier?


  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • Did anyone responded ‘Yes’ to “Ask for alternative documents before taking further action?”

[IF YES, ASK:] What alternative documents do you ask for?


  • What other actions, if any, might employers take if they determine that the documents are not genuine?



C19. When you examine workers’ documents during the Form I-9 process to determine if they belong to the worker, what do you do?

Look to see if information (e.g., date of birth/name) on IDs match information on Form I-9; Look to see if information (e.g., date of birth or name) on separate IDs match;

Look to see if date of birth on IDs is roughly consistent with person’s appearance;

Look to see whether the photo matches the person



  • Did you have to read any part of this question more than once to understand what was being asked? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which part did you have to read more than once?

    • What can we do to make the question clearer?


  • What do you do to check if the documents belong to the worker? What do you think is meant by IDs in this question?

  • What do you think makes it difficult to check if the documents belong to the worker? What, if anything, would make it easier for you to check?

  • What other actions, if any, might employers take to check to see if the documents belong to the worker?


C20. If you determine that the documents do not appear to belong to the worker, what do you do?

Accept the documents and enter the information into E-Verify

Ask for alternative documents before taking further action

Do not hire the worker

Fire the worker



  • Did you have to read any part of this question more than once to understand what was being asked? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which part did you have to read more than once?

    • What can we do to make the question clearer?

  • What other actions, if any, might employers take if they determine that the documents do not appear to belong to the worker?




C22. When you receive a photo from the E-Verify Photo Matching response, do you compare the photo to:

The person only,

The document the worker provided only,

Both the person and the document the worker provided,

Do not compare the photo to the worker or the document the worker provided,

Other (specify)


  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Did you have to read any part of this question more than once to understand what was being asked? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which part did you have to read more than once?

    • What can we do to make the question clearer?

  • What other actions, if any, might employers take during photo matching?



D5. Which of the following statements are reasons you do not always submit workers’ email addresses to the E-Verify system?

Submitting email addresses provided by workers is not a requirement

Submitting email addresses provided by workers is not a priority for us

We need to protect the worker’s privacy

Workers ask us not to submit this information

It is difficult to read workers’ handwriting

Our staff is too busy to take this extra step of providing information

Other reasons (specify):


  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult?

  • What can we do to make it easier?


  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • What do you think D5a is asking? How do you know if this is an E-Verify “requirement?”


  • What other reasons, if any, might employers have for not always submitting workers’ email addresses to E-Verify?



D6. Has the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department ever contacted your company about its E-Verify procedures?



  • Are you aware of the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department? Do you know what work this department does?

  • Were you clear about what the question was asking when you first read it? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What were you unclear about?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?


  • Did you need to check with someone else at the company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • Did you get the information?

    • How time consuming was the process?


  • Did anyone answer “Don’t know” for this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • What would you have to do to get the information to answer this question?

    • How time consuming would it be?

    • If we didn’t provide a “don’t know” response option, what would you have done if you didn’t know? [PROBE AS NEEDED]

      • Would you have bothered to check with others to get the information needed?

      • Would it have been possible to get this information?



D7. Did the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department contact your company for the following reasons?

Immediately terminating employment when the worker received a Tentative Nonconfirmation

Creating duplicate cases for the same employee

Closing cases (e.g., using incorrect case closure statements or failing to close cases)

Failing to create a case by the third business day after the employee started working for pay

Failing to print a Further Action Notice

Requesting specific documents

Other (Specify)


  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult?

  • What can we do to make it easier?



  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

  • Whom did you consult?

  • How time consuming was this process?


  • Did you know what each contact reason referred to when you first read the list? [IF NOT MENTIONED, ASK:]

    • Are you familiar with the term “Further Action Notice?” How do you refer to it, if at all?

    • What came to mind when you read “requesting specific documents?”


  • For what other reasons, if any, might the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department need to contact employers?


  • Did anyone answer “Don’t know” to this question? [IF YES, ASK:] What would you need to do to get the information?


D8. Did your company change its procedures after being contacted by the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department?


  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Did you have the information needed to answer this question? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What did you have to do to answer the question?

    • How time consuming was this process?

  • Did anyone answer “Don’t know” to this question? [IF YES, ASK:] What would you need to do to get the information?


D9. What changes did your company make to its procedures after being contacted by the E-Verify Monitoring and Compliance department? [open-ended question]


  • How clear were you about what this question was asking when you first read it? [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK:]

    • What was unclear about the question?

    • How can we make it clearer?


  • Did you have easy access to the information needed to answer this question? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What did you need to do to get the information?

    • How time consuming was it?


  • How did you answer the question? [AS NEEDED, ASK:]

    • Can you tell us more about your answer?





D13. When workers receive Tentative Nonconfirmations, how often does your company inform the worker about it?



  • Are you familiar with the term “Tentative Nonconfirmation?” How do you refer to it, if at all?

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What can we do to make it easier?



  • Are there other staff at your company who verify workers? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Were you able to answer this question for your company or did you have to consult other staff? [IF HAD TO CHECK WITH OTHER STAFF, ASK:]

      • Whom did you consult?

      • How time consuming was this process?



D14. How often does your company inform workers about their Tentative Nonconfirmations in the following ways?

In-person, Telephone call or Skype, Email, Regular mail, FedEx, certified mail,

Other (Specify)

  • Did you have easy access to the information needed to answer this question? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What did you need to do to get the information?

    • How much time did it take?

    • Is some information easier to access than others? (e.g., easier to track FedEx than telephone calls)?


  • Are there other ways in which companies might inform workers about their Tentative Nonconfirmations? Which ones?



D18. How often does each of the following situations apply to your company’s use of E-Verify for persons receiving Tentative Nonconfirmations?

  • Is it clear to you when you can answer “Not applicable” or “Don’t know” to any of the statements? [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK:]

    • [IF NOT CLEAR, ASK] What makes it unclear?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?


  • Did anyone answer “Don’t know” to any of the statements? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which statements?

    • If we did not provide a “Don’t know” response option:

      • Is there anything you could have done to get the information?

      • How time consuming would it have been?





D21. When workers receive a Final Nonconfirmation, how often does your company terminate the worker’s employment?

  • Was does this question mean to you? What is your understanding of a ‘Final Confirmation?’

  • Did you have to consult with anyone else in your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was the process?



D22. Please explain why your company does not always terminate the employment of employees who receive Final Nonconfirmations. [open-ended]



  • How did you answer this question?


  • Are there other reasons employers do not terminate the employment of workers who receive Final Nonconfirmations? What are they?

  • Did you consult with anyone in your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • With whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was the process?



D24. How often do workers appeal a Final Nonconfirmation?



  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

  • What made it difficult?

  • What can we do to make it easier?



  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

  • Whom did you consult?

  • How time consuming was this process?


  • Were you aware that workers can appeal a Final Nonconfirmation?

  • Have you ever had a worker appeal a Final Nonconfirmation? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Can you tell us a little about this process?



D25. How often does your company close E-Verify cases within 90 days of initial case submission?


  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Are you aware that companies are required to close E-Verify cases within 90 days of initial submission?

  • Did you have easy access to the information needed to answer this question for your company? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What did you have to do to get the information?

    • How time consuming was it?


D26. Which of the following statements describe why your company does not always close cases within 90 days?

  • Closing cases is burdensome or time consuming

  • Worker does not let us know if Form I-9 information is correct when E-Verify asks us to confirm or change the information initially submitted to the system

  • Worker does not state whether he/she wishes to contest the Tentative Nonconfirmation

  • A Tentative Nonconfirmation case has not been resolved by the Department of Homeland Security or Social Security Administration

  • The worker has quit before receiving a final finding from E-Verify

  • The worker was fired for a reason unrelated to E-Verify before receiving a final finding from E-Verify

  • Other (Specify)


  • Were any of the statements unclear when you first read them? [IF UNCLEAR, ASK:]

    • Which one(s) were unclear? Why? and what made it unclear?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?


  • Did you respond “yes” or “no” to each of these items, or did you skip any of them?


  • Did you have the information to answer this question for your company? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • What did you need to do to get the information?

    • How time consuming was the process?

    • Did you get the information?


  • What are some other reasons employers may not close E-Verify cases within 90 days of initial submission?


D27. The following statements describe possible changes that could be made to E-Verify procedures. Please select the answer that best describes your views for each of these possible changes.

  • Allowing employers that are not federal contractors to verify existing employees hired prior to signing an MOU

  • Having workers receive a text message from USCIS informing them of their TNC in addition to receiving the Further Action Notice from employers

  • Including information in USCIS email notifications for workers to contact SSA or DHS directly to resolve their TNCs

  • Adding employer’s name to the E-Verify email notification letter to workers with Tentative Nonconfirmations

  • Sending separate email notification letters to workers who receive Tentative Nonconfirmations from SSA and DHS

  • Including contact information for workers to receive assistance to appeal Final Nonconfirmations

NOTE: Will test only new items included above.

  • Were any of the statements unclear when you first read them? [IF UNCLEAR, ASK:]

    • Which one(s) and what made it unclear?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?

    • [IF NOT MENTIONED, ASK:]

      • Do you know what an MOU is?

      • What came to mind when you read the statement: ________________ [READ EACH STATEMENT NOT MENTIONED]


Additional items from Attachment A-2 (EEAs Verifying Clients Only)



A10. Why is your company not verifying its own workers?

  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Did you have the information to answer this question?

    • [IF NO, ASK:] What did you have to do to get it?

  • What are some other reasons for E-Verify Employer Agents not verifying their own workers?


C9. Does your company complete Section 2 of the Form I-9 for your clients’ workers?



  • How would you describe Section 2 of the Form I-9?

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What can we do to make it easier?



  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?



C10. Which of the following statements describes what USUALLY happens when your company completes the Form I-9 for clients?

Our company is responsible for the entire process

Our clients are responsible for part of the process and we are responsible for other parts



  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What can we do to make it easier?


  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • How did you answer this question?

    • Can you tell us more about how this process works for you company and your client company?


C11. How often does each of the following activities occur when your company completes the Form I-9 for clients?

We receive copies of the documents from the client (e.g., by email, mail, or fax)

We obtain the actual documents from the worker or the client

We have contact with workers in-person or by Skype during the review process

We refer questions about the documents to the worker directly

We refer questions about the documents to the client



  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Did you read any of these statements more than once before you understood what it meant? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which statement and what was unclear about it?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?


  • Did you have easy access to the information needed to answer this question? [IF NOT EASY ACCESS, ASK:]

    • What did you have to do to get the information needed?

    • How time consuming was it?


  • What are other ways in which E-Verify Employer Agents can work with clients to complete the workers’ Form I-9?



D9. Do your agreements with your clients make you responsible for informing their workers about Tentative NonconfirmatIons?

Yes, our company is responsible for informing workers about the Tentative Nonconfirmation for ALL of our clients

Yes, our company is responsible for informing workers about the Tentative Nonconfirmation for SOME of our clients

No, our company is not responsible for informing workers about Tentative Nonconfirmations for any of our clients.



  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • Were any of the response categories unclear to you? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Which one(s) and what made it unclear?

    • What can we do to make it clearer?

  • Did you need to consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • How did you answer this question? Can you say more about how this process works with your clients?





Additional items from Attachment A-3 (EEAs Verifying both Clients’ and own workers)



B9. Please indicate your own perceptions related to the impact that E-Verify has had on your own company.

  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • When you first read the question, was it iclear to you that the question was asking about the impact on your own company and not your clients’ workers?

    • [IF YES, ASK:] What made that clear to you?

    • [IF NO, ASK:] What can we do to make it clearer that this is referring to your own company? Would it help if we added “not your clients’ workers” after “your own company?”






Additional items from Attachment A-4 (Clients of EEAs)



B1. Did your E-Verify Employer Agent provide your company with the following E-Verify resources?

The E-Verify User manual

The most recent copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (which may be known as the Terms of Service) for employers using an E-Verify Employer Agent


  • Did you know what these resources were when you first read the question? [IF NO, ASK:]

    • Did you consult with anyone to get the information? [IF YES, ASK:]

      • Whom did you consult?

      • How time consuming was it?


  • What other E-Verify resources does your E-Verify Employer Agent provide?



B2. Did your E-Verify Employer Agent provide your company with training on E-Verify processes, policies, and procedures?


  • What do you think this question is asking?

  • How easy or difficult was it to answer this question? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • What can we do to make it easier?



  • Did you consult with anyone else at your company to answer this question? [IF YES, ASK:]

    • Whom did you consult?

    • How time consuming was this process?


  • How did you answer this question?

    • Can you tell us more about the training? (e.g., who receives it, when is it provided, is it provided on a regular basis)


B3. About how many hours did the training last?

Less than 4 hours, 4 to 8 hours, More than 8 hours


  • How difficult was it to recall the number of hours of training? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What did you have to do to get the information?

    • How time consuming was it?

  • Did you feel the number of hours was enough for the training? [IF NOT ENOUGH, ASK:]

    • About how many hours of training would you have preferred?




B4. Generally, how helpful was the training provided by your E-Verify Employer Agent?


  • How difficult was it to recall the extent to which the training was helpful? [IF DIFFICULT, ASK:]

    • What made it difficult?

    • How can we make it easier?


  • How did you answer the question? [IF NOT HELPFUL, ASK:]

    • What would have made the training more helpful to you?


15


File Typeapplication/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File TitleBasic Pilot Employer Mail Survey Outstanding Points:
AuthorPeace Bransberger
File Modified0000-00-00
File Created2021-01-21

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