NC Businesses, Governments Soon Must Verify Immigration Status Of Workers

Businesses, cities and counties in North Carolina will soon have to start checking the immigration status of their new hires. Gov. Bev Perdue on Thurday signed into law a bill directing employers to use the federal government's E-Verify system to prevent illegal immigrants from getting jobs. The legislation makes exceptions for companies that employ fewer than 25 people or which use seasonal workers. Local governments will have to start checking in October. Larger companies will do so a year later. Smaller companies have until July 2013 before they start checking.