California · Labor Code

LAB §2814: (a) (1) Except as required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds, it shall be unlawful for an employer, or any other person or entity to use the federal electronic employment ver

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Employers cannot use E-Verify to check employment authorization status of existing employees or applicants except as required by federal law. Violations result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation.

Read the full statutory text
(a) (1) Except as required by federal law or as a condition of receiving federal funds, it shall be unlawful for an employer, or any other person or entity to use the federal electronic employment verification system known as E-Verify to check the employment authorization status of an existing employee or an applicant who has not been offered employment at a time or in a manner not required under subsection (b) of Section 1324a of Title 8 of the United States Code or not authorized under any federal agency memorandum of understanding governing the use of a federal electronic employment verification system. (2) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an employer from utilizing the federal E-Verify system, in accordance with federal law, to check the employment authorization status of a person who has been offered employment. (b) Upon using the federal E-Verify system to check the employment authorization status of a person, if the employer receives a tentative nonconfirmation issued by the Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Homeland Security, which indicates the information entered in E-Verify did not match federal records, the employer shall comply with the required employee notification procedures under any memorandum of understanding governing the use of the federal E-Verify system. The employer shall furnish to the employee any notification issued by the Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Homeland Security containing information specific to the employee’s E-Verify case or any tentative nonconfirmation notice. The notification shall be furnished as soon as practicable. (c) In addition to other remedies available, an employer who violates this section is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation of this section. Each unlawful use of the E-Verify system on an employee or applicant constitutes a separate violation. (d) This section is intended to prevent discrimination in employment rather than to sanction the potential hiring and employment of persons who are not authorized for employment under federal law.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.