Christopher Thorn, chair of the firm's Immigration group and Ayanna London, associate, presented "Preparing for Immigration Success in a Changing Landscape" during the Mid-Atlantic Employer’s Association (MEA) as part of its 13th Annual Virtual HR & Employment Law Conference.
The immigration landscape is changing dramatically. For employers looking to secure top talent, brushing up and knowing the potential pitfalls, changing trends, and prospective remedies can be the difference that creates a real competitive advantage. What’s more, developments stemming from the spread of COVID-19 mean employers must now consider adjustments to their onboarding process (I-9 and E-Verify) as well as work adjustments for their employees. The very real possibility that working from home, furloughs, or even layoffs may be necessary has further complicated human resources operations and brought immigration considerations to the forefront. Now more than ever, staying on top of immigration compliance matters, having perspective on the impact of job changes for visa holders, anticipating potential gaps in work authorization, and understanding new standards of visa eligibility are central to ensuring your human resources department drives internal policies that help your company stand out in the field. Pulling back the curtains on today’s canvas, our session will address visa adjudication changes most severely impacting employers, best practices for I-9 compliance, as well as ways to integrate immigration-informed policies into the framing of your overall company practices.