Penelope M. Lechtenberg, an attorney in the
Rockford, Illinois, office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, was quoted in the article, “Program That Checks Work Eligibility Sees Wider Use in Illinois,” which appeared in the October 30, 2011, issue of the
Rockford Register Star. The article addresses Illinois-based companies’ increased use of E-Verify, an internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
The Illinois Legislature banned the use of E-Verify in 2007. That ban was later ruled unconstitutional. The number of Illinois-based companies using E-Verify has risen more than 370 percent since October 2008. However, use of the system requires a human resource component. Because use of E-Verify is not yet mandatory for all employers, Ms. Lechtenberg explains, “a lot of employers are very hesitant [to use it] because of the additional obligations and responsibilities it creates.” On the other hand, she adds, “Some places are using it as a selling point[.] . . . There are employers who have customers who have to know that the people they’re sending over are authorized to work.”
Ms. Lechtenberg maintains a substantial business and personal immigration practice. She advises corporate and individual clients in immigration matters involving U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Department of Labor and Department of State, from immigration petitions to audits and workplace investigations. She also provides employers with practical advice on all day-to-day employment-related issues and represents management in labor and employment law matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a full-service national law firm providing coordinated legal services across the United States, as well as regionally and locally. Hinshaw lawyers represent businesses, governmental entities and individuals in complex litigation, regulatory and transactional matters. Founded in 1934, the firm has approximately 500 attorneys in 24 offices located in
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