Contract Services Administration Trust Fund

Most Commonly Asked Questions About the I-9 Form

The I-9 Form (Employment Eligibility Verification Form) is issued and governed by the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The Form's purpose is to document an individual's identity and his/her employment eligibility to work in this country. Contrary to a popular notion, this form it not used to prove U.S. citizenship.


Why is the entertainment industry being singled out for this?  

Contrary to how you may feel, the entertainment industry is not being singled out, nor is it the only industry where individuals need to re-verify their employment status on a specified basis. Since CSATF is acting on behalf of the employer in maintaining the I-9 Form, the law requires that individuals re-verify their status every three years. 


If CSATF maintains I-9 Forms for rostered individuals, why are we frequently required to fill one out when commencing employment?

CSATF does maintain I-9 Forms for rostered individuals. However, you should be aware that some employers may have their own company policy requiring their employees to complete an I-9 Form at the work site. In this event, you should be prepared to present acceptable I-9 documentation at the time of employment. 


Why won't CSATF accept copies of documents when completing the I-9 Form?

Procedures to complete the I-9 Form are outlined and governed by INS policy which clearly states that we are required to examine an individual's original documentation when completing Section II of the I-9 Form. In fact, there is a CERTIFICATION statement on the Form which calls for us to attest, under the penalty of perjury, that we have examined the documents presented and that we believe, to the best of our ability, they are genuine. Therefore, we cannot complete an I-9 Form utilizing facsimiles, e-mails, or photocopies of documentation. 


In the event I'm out of the country (on-location, vacation, etc.) can my spouse, supervisor, or other designee complete the I-9 Form on my behalf?

No. Each individual must complete his/her own I-9 Form. However, if a person is in need of assistance with either reading or completing Section I of the I-9 Form, the individual may seek the help of a preparer or translator. In these cases, the person preparing the Form must complete the Preparer/Translator Section of the I-9 Form. 


Why can't I send a fax or an e-mail to complete the I-9 Form?

Because INS policy plainly states that in order for us to complete and sign the Form, we must attest that we have seen and examined the original documentation from the owner of the document. A faxed and/or e-mailed copy of a document is simply not trustworthy, nor is it secure. 


My work schedule is erratic! Why doesn't CSATF open earlier, close later, or be open on Saturdays?

In fact, in an effort to serve the motion picture and television industry, a few years ago CSATF did stay open late during the week and was open on Saturdays until 1:00 PM. Notification of these expanded hours was distributed to the unions and the payroll and production companies. Unfortunately, individuals simply did not take advantage of this schedule which resulted in its discontinuance. 

Is it possible for a CSATF representative to visit a work site and process I-9s?

In its effort to serve the motion picture and television industry, CSATF will send, at the request of a company's Labor Relations or Human Resources department, a representative to a work site for the purposes of completing I-9 Forms for those individuals listed on the Industry Experience Roster or Television Commercial Roster.

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