Florida Statute 448.095 (2023) requires every Tampa private employer with 25 or more employees to use the federal E-Verify system for all new hires. Failure to comply can suspend business licenses and trigger 1,000 dollar daily fines.
Florida Senate Bill 1718 (2023), codified at FS 448.095, requires every private employer with 25 or more employees in Florida to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm work authorization for every new hire after July 1, 2023. The statute also mandates retention of E-Verify documents for at least three years. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity audits compliance. Repeat violations carry 1,000 dollar daily civil penalties plus suspension of all state-issued licenses, including Tampa-issued business tax receipts. Public employers and state contractors face stricter requirements regardless of size.
Three violations within 24 months trigger automatic license suspension by the state, with 1,000 dollar per day fines until compliance, plus felony charges for knowing employment of unauthorized workers under FS 448.09.
See how Tampa's e-verify mandates rules stack up against other locations.
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