We know it's easy to feel overwhelmed with questions about W-4 and I-9 form processes and how these forms are handled in Fountain’s I-9 Center. This article is a compilation of customer-asked questions and answers from the Fountain team.

Have a question that isn’t addressed in this article? Contact your Fountain Customer Success contact.

Worker Troubleshooting

My worker is getting an error when uploading documents for Section 1. How can I help them?

Errors happen more often with documents that are not supported by the Document Verification functionality. Inform the worker that typically error message will include the reason for the error within the red error message box. Additionally, the worker can try the following troubleshooting steps:

Check that the file size is not larger than 20MB
Check that the file type is acceptable for upload. The file type should be PNG, HEIC, PDF, JPEG, GIF, or JPG.
Ensure the photo is clear, in focus, free of glare, not blurry, and against a dark background.
Ensure that the full name of the issuing authority field contains the full state name and official authority name. There cannot be abbreviations.
If the document information fields do not populate after uploading the document(s), the worker should manually input the information.
Check their wifi connection to ensure it is working.
Ensure they click on the Submit button.
If there is an error 'oops, there was a problem with your form', typically occurs because there is a problem with one of the fields related to the document; for example,
- missing expiration date (if applicable)
- missing or incorrect issuing authority
- missing or incorrectly formatted document number

Workers keep reaching out with questions on how to complete their I-9. Is there anything I can do to help them proactively so they don't have to reach out for support?

Yes! We have a video that you could include as a task that they must complete in their worker portal before the I-9 form task unlocks. If you're using the I-9 Center as a PAPI integration stage during your Fountain Hire application, you could also use the video in a stage prior to the I-9 Center stage.

For assistance adding this video to a task or stage, contact your Fountain Customer Success contact or [email protected].

General Process Questions

How can I quickly see the status of my workers’ completed W-4 forms?

The W-4 Forms table has 5 tabs at the top that show workers in specific completion statuses. The tabs are:

All: All workers assigned the W-4 form task regardless of status.
Pending: The worker has been assigned the W-4 form task but has not started it yet.
In Progress: The worker has started the W-4 form task but has not yet finished it.
Needs Review: The worker has finished their W-4 form, but it requires review and approval. This is based on your company's configuration and whether or not Reviews are turned on. If this is turned on for your company, you will see an Approve and Reject button above the completed W-4 form in the Manage screen.
Completed: The worker has finished their W-4 form. If Reviews are turned on in your company's configuration settings, then W-4s in this bucket will have also been reviewed and approved.

How can I quickly see the status of my workers’ completed I-9 forms?

The I-9 Forms table has 8 tabs at the top that show workers in specific completion statuses. The tabs are:

All: All I-9 forms, regardless of status.
Section 1: The worker has been assigned an I-9 form to complete, but has not completed Section 1 yet.
Section 2: This tab will have three types of workers:
- The worker has completed Section 1, but Section 2 needs to be completed by the employer or an Authorized Representative.
  - The Pending Filter By Status button will be selected by default when clicking this tab, as this tab is used most often to find and complete Section 2 for workers as the employer.
  - Depending on which verification methods your company has enabled, you will also see employees who have an upcoming On-Site or Live Video verification meeting scheduled.
- OR Section 2 has been completed, but the company is not using E-Verify. Therefore, workers will not move into the Awaiting Information, Pending E-Verify, E-Verify, or Completed tabs.
- OR the worker has not been sent to E-Verify for some reason, if the company is using E-Verify.
  - You may need to troubleshoot with these workers why they are not moving into E-Verify automatically.
Awaiting Information: Sections 1 and 2 are completed, but there is missing information on the form. Therefore, the E-Verify submission cannot happen yet. This happens in two scenarios:
- If the worker provides an acceptable document receipt instead of a document when completing Section 1. An E-Verify case cannot be created with a document receipt.
  - The worker will remain in this status until they provide the actual document related to the receipt. At that point, an E-Verify case will be created.
- If the worker is awaiting their SSN because they are new to the country. An E-Verify case cannot be created with a missing SSN.
  - The worker will remain in this status until an SSN is entered in their Worker Profile. At that point, an E-Verify case will be created.
Pending E-Verify: The worker’s I-9 form is pending submission to E-Verify or has been submitted to E-Verify but has not been reviewed by E-Verify yet. No action is needed.
E-Verify: The worker’s completed I-9 form has been successfully sent to E-Verify, and a case status has been received that is not "completed/closed authorized".
Expiring: Workers with Section 1 documents that are expiring or have already expired, requiring follow-up for continued work authorization. Includes filters for expiring in 30 days, expiring in 90 days, or having already expired. Additionally, a worker can be manually added to this group if the individual is in the process of submitting an Authorized Extension Document.
Completed: The worker’s E-Verify case status is Closed Authorized, and they are verified to legally work in the U.S. No action is needed

Additionally, once a tab is selected, you can use the Filter By Priority or Filter By Status below the tabs to find forms that require your action. Options in these sections will change based on the tab you have selected.

Can I download completed W-4 or I-9 forms into a PDF file?

Yes, you can! To download a completed W-4 or I-9 form, follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel. Then navigate to either the I-9 Forms or W-4 Forms pages.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name that you want to download the form for.
Click the download or print icon in the top right corner of the form preview window.

Important Note:

You cannot bulk download or print W-4 or I-9 forms from the I-9 Center. Each form must be downloaded or printed individually.

How are exceptions handled?

Exceptions like I-9 restarts, Supplement B for rehires, and document submitted receipts can be addressed by using the I-9 Center.

In addition, the Fountain I-9 Center is built to flag data that doesn't match submitted I-9 forms. This is important because inaccurate information can be flagged by Homeland Security during an I-9 inspection, and can result in fines [1]. It is important to validate all information before forms are submitted to E-Verify.

How do I update a completed W-4 form?

You can update a completed W-4 form by restarting it. To restart a W-4 form, follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel. Then click W-4 Forms.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name whom you need to restart the W-4.
Click Restart W-4.
Click I Confirm.

How do I update a completed I-9 form?

You can update a completed form by rejecting or restarting it. Rejecting is used if only Section 1 is completed, but Section 2 is still outstanding. Restart is used if Sections 1 and 2 are already completed.

To reject an I-9 form, follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name whom you need to reject the I-9.
Click the red Reject button at the top of the page.
Select the applicable reason(s) you are rejecting the I-9.
Click Submit.

To restart an I-9 form, follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name whom you need to restart the I-9.
Click the More actions button at the top of the page and then Restart I-9 in the dropdown.
Select the applicable reason(s) you are restarting the I-9.
Click I Confirm.

My employee provided a document receipt for Section 1, but now has the actual document. How do I resolve this so the E-Verify case is created?

You will need to uncheck the receipt box and upload images of the document. Follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name for whom you need to restart the I-9.
Click the More actions button at the top of the page and then Take Action on I-9.
Click Redo 1-9 Employer Section.
Click Edit Documentation.
On the pop-up screen, uncheck the box next to "This is a receipt of a document replacement". This will also remove the word "Receipt" from the document title.
Update the expiration date according to what is on the replacement document you were presented with.
Click Save Changes.
Still within the Take action on I-9 screen, scroll to the bottom and click the Next button in the right corner.
Type your title within the Title field.
Electronically sign in the Signature box.
Scroll to the bottom and click the Finish button. An E-Verify case will be created automatically in states that require E-Verify.
Click the More Actions button and then Take action on I-9 in the dropdown.
Click the Supplemental tab.
Click Add File and attach a photo of the employee's replacement document. Note that the employee cannot see any files you add here- they are for internal use only.

Can I use the I-9 Center to reverify documents that a worker provided during Section 1 that are about to expire?

Yes, document reverifications are supported in the I-9 Center. To reverify a worker’s documents, follow the steps below:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name whom you need to restart the I-9.
Click the More actions button at the top of the page and then Reverify in the dropdown.
Click Reverify documentation.
Complete all fields, including selecting the document title, entering the new document number, selecting the new document’s expiration date (if applicable), and entering your name and signature. You can also check the box for using the alternative procedure to review documents virtually and add additional notes.
1. Learn more about the alternative procedure requirements in this article.
Click Submit when finished.

You will also need to upload new copies of the documents in the Supplemental tab in the Supplement B pop-up screen. Simply click +Add File to drag and drop or browse and attach images of the new documents.

How do I handle rehires in the I-9 Center?

Rehires can be handled in a few different ways depending on how the I-9 Center is used:

As an Onboard task completed during onboarding

Your company will choose to either have the rehire complete a new I-9 or they can follow the Supplement B process:

Click I-9 Center in the left side panel.
Click the Manage button to the right of the worker’s name whom you need to restart the I-9.
Click the More actions button at the top of the page and then Rehire in the dropdown.
Choose either Supplement B or Reset I-9.
If choosing Supplement B, on the next screen, click Rehire staff and complete all fields.
Click Submit.

As a stage during the application process

If you are utilizing the I-9 Center as a PAPI-integrated stage in your application process, you can prompt rehired workers to re-complete their W-4 and I-9 forms in the stage by resetting their partner integration status.

Learn more about this process in the Automatic W-4 and I-9 Restarts article.

What should I do with an in-progress I-9 if the worker has been terminated?

If the worker has been terminated and Section 1 or 2 is still pending completion, click their name in the I-9 Center table to be brought to their Worker Profile. Click Actions and then Edit. Add a Termination Date and click Save. This will stop the worker from receiving notifications to complete their I-9.
If the worker has been terminated after the I-9 was sent to E-Verify but is still pending a Closed Authorized status, close the E-Verify case by accessing their I-9 Profile (via the Manage button) and clicking Review E-Verify case.
If the worker’s E-Verify case status is Closed Authorized, you do not need to take any additional action.

Section 2 Questions

What options do I have for completing Section 2?

We have four options available for completing Section 2:

Employer-based review:

Standard I-9: Using our standard scheduler functionality, the employee schedules an on-site document review with you, the employer.
Remote I-9: Also utilizing our scheduler functionality, the employee schedules a live video call with you, the employer, to validate their documents over live video call.

Authorized Representative review:

Smart I-9: The document review is completed in person by an authorized representative of the employee's choosing. With this option, geolocation features are used to ensure that the employee and the authorized representative are in the same physical location.
I-9 End-to-End: The employee schedules a live video session with a Fountain-trained professional, who will review and validate their documents.

If you are interested in I-9 End-to-End, contact your Fountain Customer Success contact or [email protected] for more information.

Am I able to review my worker’s documents virtually when completing Section 2 as the employer?

Yes, this can be noted by checking the alternative procedure checkbox when completing Section 2. However, this alternative procedure can only be used in certain circumstances. Review the I-9 Section 2 Workflow Setup article for more information.

Authorized Representative Process Questions

Can my employees choose their own Authorized Representative?

Yes. In fact, if using the Authorized Representative process, the employee MUST choose their own Authorized Representative. This cannot be chosen by the employee. The Authorized Representative can be anyone other than the employee themselves, such as a spouse, friend, or neighbor.

Can an employee use themselves as their own Authorized Representative?

No, they cannot. Since acting as your own authorized representative is prohibited by the U.S. government [2], the I-9 Center will stop a worker if they enter their own phone number, and instruct them to submit someone else's.

How do employees send Section 2 to their Authorized Representative for review?

Employees will enter their Authorized Representative's cell phone number, which will send a link to the Authorized Representative's smartphone.

This link will open a webpage with an overview of the Section 2 process and what is expected of them as an Authorized Representative. The Authorized Representative will then follow a step-by-step guide on completing the review. They must be within 15 feet of the employee when completing the review.

Can an employee change who they assign to be their Authorized Representative after selecting one?

Yes, they can. If they would like to change their Authorized Representative, they simply need to enter that new Representative's phone number in their Worker Portal as long as Section 2 has not yet been completed.

Does the I-9 Center record any information about the Authorized Representative’s information?

Yes, it does. The I-9 Center collects the Authorized Representative’s first and last name, phone number, and IP address. This will appear in the audit trail after Section 2 is completed.

E-Verify Questions

Do I use Fountain’s E-Verify account, or does my company need an E-Verify account?

In order to utilize the E-Verify integration, you will need to have and use your own company E-Verify account.

How are E-Verify cases submitted and closed?

Once Section 2 is complete, the entire I-9 form (Sections 1 and 2) will be automatically sent from Fountain’s I-9 Center to the E-Verify system. Once the case is processed, the resulting status will be reflected in the Fountain I-9 Center.

Fountain’s I-9 Center uses a WorkBright integration to show and action E-Verify case statuses.

How do I know if the worker comes back as clear from E-Verify?

The worker will move into the Completed I-9 Forms page tab.

Can E-Verify cases be acted on and closed from the Fountain I-9 center?

Yes, all E-Verify actions can be completed from within the I-9 Center. Review the E-Verify Process article for more information.

What if I find an issue with a case that has been submitted to E-Verify?

If the case has already been submitted to E-Verify, then you will need to close the existing case and restart the I-9 form for the worker. You will choose the close case reason The case is being closed because the data entered is incorrect.

Important Notes:

If you don't close the existing case first, then the second case will not be sent to E-Verify, since it will be seen as a duplicate case.
If your company has the employee fields locked based on previously configured settings, you will need to first update the data in the employee's Worker Profile by going to Action and then Edit before you restart the I-9.

Document Verification Questions

If Fountain detects information that is different from the Worker’s Profile, will that data be updated, such as their Social Security Number?

Document verification is not currently configured to update any portion of the Worker Profile or I-9 Form fields other than the extracted document data done within the OCR functionality, which will populate into Section 2.

Does document verification take the place of E-Verify?

No, this feature is intended to indicate that the submitted documents are valid, not to confirm or deny citizenship status or right to work, as E-Verify does.

If the document is not verified, is the worker’s I-9 form rejected?

No, rejecting the I-9 form is a separate process. Document Verification will ‘flag’ the worker’s supporting document I-9 submission for review by a Fountain user. The Fountain user can then take steps to mark the document as reviewed or reject the I-9 form, requiring a new submission or continuing with the onboarding process. The document verification functionality will not determine an employment decision.

Are there plans to expand this feature to include identity verification for the worker and the Authorized Representative if using an Authorized Representative to complete Section 2?

We are partnering with WorkBright to explore the possibility of expanding this feature to include identity verification for various participants in the I-9 form workflow. We are considering many variables, including privacy concerns, and will make future decisions about this enhancement in light of those considerations.

Would the document verification functionality identify the difference between a Social Security Card that is unrestricted vs. one with restrictions that cannot be used for Section 1 document submission?

Yes! The document verification can identify a Restricted Social Security Card and request different documentation.

What does the process look like for specific documents that are not supported by the document verification functionality?

If a worker selects a document that is not included in the list of documents covered under document verification, they will upload the documents using a standard upload process.

Is there a specific Permission for this feature, and who can approve or decline a verification result?

Yes. There are two permissions related to this feature:

Can manage an I-9 form: The user will be able to see the results/status, see details of the verification, and mark as reviewed.
Can view an I-9 form: This user is restricted. Therefore, they are allowed to view I-9 forms and will see the results/status of the verification, but they will have no access to the details of the verification or the ability to mark as reviewed.

Is there an audit log of the document verification status?

Yes, the user’s name and time stamp of the transaction will be displayed on the Document Verification administrative screen.

Is the document verification process available in Spanish for workers?

Yes. This will be available in Spanish if Spanish is selected, just like the rest of the I-9 form process.

Integration with Fountain Hire Questions

Is the I-9 Center on the same platform as Fountain Hire?

No, the Fountain I-9 Center is on a separate platform from Fountain Hire. The I-9 Center is hosted within Worker Experience, which holds all of Fountain’s onboarding products. Fountain Hire is focused on the hiring portion of the worker’s experience and works as an ATS (Applicant Tracking System).

Will the users in my company have the same permissions in Fountain Hire that they have in the I-9 Center?

Roles and permissions will work slightly differently between Hire and Worker Experience. However, they are overall similar. If you have questions or concerns about permissions, Fountain suggests contacting your Fountain Customer Success contact.

Is anything on the I-9 Form pre-filled based on information previously entered by the worker when applying via Fountain Hire?

Yes, attributes from the worker's Hire profile are used to pre-fill the I-9 form. However, these fields are still editable for the worker if they need to change information.

Sources

[1] I-9 Inspections: A detailed article about the I-9 form inspection process that can be carried out, including possible violations

[2] Who Must Complete Form I-9: USCIS article outlining each role in the I-9 form process

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I-9 Center FAQs