Tennessee E-Verify Employer Mandate Statewide

T.C.A. 50-1-703, part of the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act, requires private employers with 35 or more employees to enroll in and use the federal E-Verify program to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees. Smaller employers must either use E-Verify or request and retain a copy of an identity and employment authorization document such as a state-issued driver license. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development may investigate complaints, issue compliance orders, and assess civil penalties for violations. The statute applies uniformly across Tennessee and supplements federal Form I-9 requirements.

Initial violations carry warnings and orders to comply, while continued noncompliance triggers civil penalties up to $500 per day and potential business license suspension.