Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Mary Leigh Pirtle was quoted in a Nashville Business Journal article examining what business owners should know as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its presence in downtown Nashville in recent weeks.
“The questions I’m getting are still what to do in response and lots of questions about liability for employers who are found to have employed an illegal immigrant,” Mary Leigh said.
Mary Leigh advised that employers should be aware of the monetary fines and penalties of knowingly hiring or employing undocumented workers. She pointed out that even HR managers or other corporate officials can be held liable for unauthorized workers or inaccurate paperwork like I-9s. Additionally, she advised that now is a good time for employers do an internal audit of their I-9s and to fix mistakes or missing documentation.
The full article, “As ICE Raids Hit Nashville, Here’s What Business Owners Should Know,” was published by the Nashville Business Journal on May 28 and is available online (subscription may be required).