Before any employee can begin working on a mushroom farm, the potential worker must provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States. Mushroom farmers cannot hire employees without proper documentation. The Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service require employers to file I-9 forms for each worker. The completed forms are then sent to the Social Security Administration. All U.S. employers are responsible for completion and retention of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. On the form, the employer must verify the employment eligibility and identity documents presented by the employee and record the document information on the Form I-9.
A number of documents, or combination of documents, is eligible to establish eligibility to work in this country. For example, a United States Passport and nine other original documents will establish eligibility but a driver’s license is not enough to qualify. Additional information must be supplied when using a driver’s license. The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration enforce hiring regulations. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies are responsible for inspection of documents for compliance. It is important to note that farm owners cannot refuse to hire employees who present valid documents to prove eligibility for employment. Such action can result in discrimination litigation against the farm owner.