How long should Form I-9, showing employment eligibility, be kept?
I-9 forms for each employee must be retained either for three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment is terminated, whichever is later. This means that all current employees must have an I-9 on file with their employer (unless they were hired before November 6, 1986 and were continuously employed). A four-step process can be used to determine the proper retention date for a terminated employee: Step one: Identify the hire date and add three years [date A]. Step two: Identify the termination date and add one year [date B]. Step three: Compare date A and date B. Step four: Determine the later of date A and date B in each case. The later of the two becomes the retention date for the corresponding Form I-9.
