USCIS Issues “Alert Employer Action Required” After E-Verify Glitch

Employers in the United States recently received an important update from the E-Verify system that sparked concern across HR departments and compliance teams. The message, titled “Alert Employer Action Required,” is more than a routine reminder it’s a call for employers to act carefully and avoid serious mistakes that could affect both their business and their employees.

This alert came after a technical error in E-Verify led to incorrect employment verification results for certain workers. The issue highlights how small system glitches can have major consequences if employers act without understanding what’s really happening.

Let’s take a closer look at what this alert means, what caused it, and what employers need to do now.

Understanding the Alert

The alert appeared on the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website and was also shared through legal and compliance channels such as the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). It warns that E-Verify experienced a temporary system error that may have affected some employment cases.

Between April 9, 2025, and May 5, 2025, employers who submitted verification cases might have received Final Nonconfirmation (FNC) results in error. An FNC usually means that an employee’s information could not be verified by government databases, allowing an employer to terminate that worker legally. However, this time, the system made mistakes.

The alert told employers not to treat those results as valid. Instead, they were instructed to review the affected cases, pause any employment decisions, and create new E-Verify cases for those workers.

How the Error Happened

E-Verify is a digital system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). When an employer hires someone, they submit the employee’s information to E-Verify to confirm their eligibility to work in the United States.

In this instance, a technical malfunction during the specified period caused the system to return incorrect mismatch results for some cases. Even employees who had visited SSA or DHS to resolve their verification issues were wrongly flagged as unconfirmed.

This triggered a false FNC status for those workers, which could have led to wrongful termination if employers acted on it.

Why the Alert Is Important

For employers, this situation serves as a crucial reminder about the importance of following proper procedures when using federal verification tools. Acting too quickly on a system notification can put a business at risk of violating employee rights or even facing legal penalties.

The government’s alert emphasizes that employers should never take adverse action such as firing or suspending an employee until they are sure the E-Verify result is accurate.

By sending this notice, USCIS aims to protect both employees and employers. Workers shouldn’t lose their jobs due to technical faults, and employers shouldn’t face compliance trouble because of automated system errors.

What Employers Should Do

Employers who received affected cases between early April and early May need to take specific steps to fix the issue. Here’s what USCIS and AILA recommend:

1. Identify affected cases: Review all E-Verify submissions made during the affected timeframe.
   
2. Pause employment action: Do not terminate or discipline employees whose FNC may have been triggered by the error.
   
3. Create a new case: Open a new E-Verify case for each affected employee and wait for the updated result.
   
4. Keep detailed records: Document the original case number, the date it was created, the error message, and the follow-up action taken.
   
5. Train HR staff: Make sure the team responsible for compliance understands how to respond to system errors.
   
6. Monitor updates: Stay informed about any additional instructions from USCIS or DHS in case further corrections are announced.
   

By following these steps, employers can protect themselves from potential legal exposure and maintain fair treatment of employees.

Employer Responsibilities Beyond This Alert

Even outside of this specific issue, businesses that use E-Verify have ongoing responsibilities under USCIS Issues “Alert Employer Action Required” After E-Verify Glitch federal law. Employers must complete the Form I-9 for each new hire and ensure that an E-Verify case is created within three business days of the employee’s start date.

If the system returns a Tentative Non confirmation (TNC) meaning that the information doesn’t match government records the employer must notify the worker and allow them to contest the result. During that process, no negative employment action is allowed.

Only when a valid Final Non confirmation is issued can the employer legally end the employment relationship based on eligibility. But as this alert shows, sometimes even the system can make mistakes, which is why it’s essential to double-check every case.

The Broader Impact on HR and Compliance

This recent alert highlights a growing challenge for businesses that rely heavily on automated verification systems. Technology has made hiring faster and more efficient, but it has also created new risks when errors occur.

Human oversight is still essential. Employers who simply trust the system without verifying results could end up facing discrimination claims or government penalties. The alert employer action required notice is a reminder that compliance is not just about checking boxes, it’s about using judgment and ensuring fairness.

Companies that handle the situation responsibly will likely earn trust from both employees and regulators. On the other hand, ignoring the alert or taking premature action could lead to legal complications or reputational damage.

Protecting Both Sides: Employees and Employers

One positive outcome of this incident is that it reinforces how employment verification should work as a two-way safeguard. It protects the government from illegal hiring, and it protects legal workers from unfair dismissal.

By following the correct process, employers uphold both the law and the dignity of their workforce. Even though this alert came as an inconvenience, it ultimately helps ensure that no one loses their job because of a glitch in the system.

Practical Tips Moving Forward

To avoid similar issues in the future, experts recommend that employers:

• Review their HR policies to include clear guidance on how to handle E-Verify mismatches.
  
• Assign one compliance officer or HR specialist to monitor all E-Verify cases.
  
• Keep copies of communication with USCIS or DHS whenever a technical issue arises.
  
• Regularly train HR staff on legal updates related to employment verification.
  
• Use secure systems to store I-9 and E-Verify records in case an audit occurs.
  

These practices not only ensure compliance but also build a culture of accuracy and fairness within the organization.

Conclusion

The alert employer action required notice is more than just a warningit’s a lesson in careful compliance and ethical management. By pausing to verify before acting, employers can prevent serious errors that affect both their workers and their business reputation.

Mistakes in government systems are rare but not impossible. This situation shows the importance of balancing technology with human judgment. Employers who handle this alert responsibly will set an example for how modern businesses should manage employment verification with precision, patience, and fairness.

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