(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading ...Warrants have been served…
The Maricopa County Sheriffs Office served search warrants this morning on an East Valley landscaping business called Artistic Plant Management. The warrants were served for alleged violations of the employer sanctions law that went into effect at the beginning of 2008. According to the East Valley Tribune, Sheriffs detained close to 3 dozen people. Sherrif Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas have announced a news conference today at 3:30pm MT to provide more details of the investigation of Artistic Plan Management.
Information regarding the Employer Sanctions Law can be found at www.azimmigrationcompliance.com.
Posted August 27th, 2008 by Vincent - Posted in Human Resources, Immigration | | 0 Comments
(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5) Loading ...Immigration not just a US Problem
As an HR company, we discuss and inform about issues of immigration and laws pertaining to it on a regular basis, but we must remember that immigration has never been uniquely American. As a global traveler, I have witnessed first hand the extreme effects that immigration has on European residents. When I was living in Spain, a woman was beaten on the metro for even being a legal immigrant for not appearing Spanish enough. Nationalism among residents intensified as riots and protests swarmed all over my neighborhood, and the law makers struggled with the details of the attack.
An article was just released last week by the Associated Press about the immigration issues occurring all over Europe. Last Wednesday, legislators in the EU parliament passed new laws to toughen up on expelling illegals from Europe. The article goes into explaining that because of a slowing global economy, the richer countries in the EU are facing pressures globally to become stricter on immigration which includes increasing detention periods for illegals. The majority of these immigrants are coming from parts of Africa and former Soviet countries. It has been estimated that in 2006 twenty four thousand sub-Saharan Africans tried to reach Spain, many of them dying a long the way. In the US there are currently 11 million illegals as opposed to Europe which has about 8 million in their 27 nations. Countries such as Italy, France, and Spain are all open to raising their laws to try and cope with the problem including increased detention times and denial of future re-entry. It is important to know that other nations are dealing with this issue and I don’t believe that there are any easy answers for either nation’s destiny. Staying educated is just one sure way that we can become part of this movement.
Please visit our site for up to date information on immigration in the United States at http://www.azimmigrationcompliance.com/, and to read further on this article please visit http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_IMMIGRATION?SITE=MOSTP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Posted June 27th, 2008 by Jessica Spinks - Posted in Human Resources, Immigration | | 0 Comments
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Employer Sanctions Law results in states first arrests in Golfland, Waterworld
azcentral.com just annouced that the State of Arizona's first arrests have been made and will continue an investigation to determine whether or not Golfland Entertainment and Waterworld locations in North Phoenix and Mesa have been "knowingly" hiring undocumented workers.
The Employer Sanctions Law, more commonly known as the Legal Arizona Workers Act (HB2779), was passed on Jan, 1st 2008. The law states that Arizona business owners can face stiff fines and more importantly, a 10 day business suspension for the first violation and permamnet business suspension if found guilty for a second time. Employers are required by both federal and state law to verify the status of a new hire's eligibility to work in the U.S. through a program called E-Verify.
More info will be updated as the details unfold. For more informtation about the Arizona Legal Works Act, visit www.azimmigrationcompliance.com or www.cbri.com to speak with an HR consutant.
Posted June 10th, 2008 by Vincent - Posted in Human Resources, Immigration | | 0 Comments
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Get Familiar with the New Sanctions Law
I'm sure there are still a few more appeals, but the Arizona Employer's Sanctions Law is a go. Get fimiliar with the rules and regulations.
House Bill 2779 (Fair and Legal Employment Act)
Prohibit employers from knowingly or intentionally hiring undocumented workers. - Starting Jan. 1, would require all employers to run their employees through the Basic Pilot Program to determine their legal status. Use of the program would act as a sort of immunity for employers facing prosecution under the law.
1st offense: Businesses caught "knowingly" employing an undocumented worker would lose their license for up to 10 days. Those caught "intentionally" hiring an undocumented worker would lose their license for at least 10 days.
2nd offense (while on probation): Permanent revocation of the business license.
The big question remains on how will the law be enforced? - Investigations would be conducted based on complaints against employers.
If the complaint was shown to be valid, the investigator would be required to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement.
From the state's 2007-08 General Fund, the bill would provide $100,000 to the Arizona Attorney General's Office, and $2.4 million to be distributed to county prosecutors.
Posted February 8th, 2008 by admin - Posted in Human Resources, Immigration, Recruiting | | 0 Comments
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Sanctions Law Clearing Out Illegals in Arizona
If apartments are starting to sit vacant, this must mean that the new Arizona Immigration Sanctions Law is starting to take its toll on the illegal immigrants here in Arizona. What will this mean for your company?
“The sanctions law is pushing immigrants to leave the state. The law is aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration in Arizona, which has the highest share of illegal immigrants of any state, by threatening to yank the business licenses of employers caught knowingly employing such workers.
The law also requires businesses to electronically verify the work eligibility of all new hires as of the first of this year.
To avoid sanctions, employers have been letting go workers who can't prove they have permission to work in the U.S.
As a result, many immigrants are leaving, either to other states where they think it will be easier to get jobs, or back to Mexico, where the majority of illegal immigrants in Arizona are from.”
So far, the law has done what it was intended to do. How has this law affected your company? Businesses that catered to the illegal population have seen drastic sales hits, apartments have seen a large wave of vacancies, what will be next?
Posted January 31st, 2008 by admin - Posted in Human Resources, Immigration, Other, Recruiting | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Why is Jan. 16 an important day in Arizona business?
On Jan. 16, 2008 a federal judge, Neil Wake, will once again rule on the Legal Arizona Workers Act. Local business groups are preparing for the new hearing stating that the new law that went into effect Jan 1. violates both U.S. and Arizona constitutions.
Previous hearings and attempts to halt the law before it's went into effect all failed and were rejected by the federal judge.
For more information on HB 2779 and the Legal Arizona Works Act visit www.azimmigrationcompliance.com
Posted January 15th, 2008 by Vincent - Posted in Immigration | | 2 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Pulled over for going 77 mph….are you a legal citizen?
I have heard the rumor. Maybe you have heard it too. The rumor is: Police Officers are now able to ask for proof of citizenship from anyone they pull over.
Are our public safety officers expected to become immigration officials? If this is true, how will the state handle complaints that only those with darker complexions are being asked their status? Is this really happening? If not now, will it? Some are saying that this new practice is already in effect. I tried to find some additional information to back this rumor up. All I could find were various articles stating something similar to this:
PHOENIX — Police in suburban Scottsdale have begun routinely asking for proof of citizenship from every suspect they arrest and turning those who are in this country illegally over to federal immigration officials. The procedure was started Oct. 15, a result of the September killing of Phoenix police officer Nick Erfle by an illegal immigrant, Erik Jovani Martinez. Scottsdale police had arrested Martinez on a misdemeanor charge 16 months earlier but they released him then because they didn’t know he was an illegal immigrant who had been twice deported. Erfle’s killing “caused us to look at what were asking suspects,” Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said. “If we arrest someone and then find that we called ICE (Customs and Immigration Enforcement) and they put a hold on them, then we know they have been deported and are back again.”
Reading this, it makes sense that an individual who has been "arrested" be properly identified. But is it going to far to pull people over and ask them their immigration status?
Posted January 14th, 2008 by Camille - Posted in Customer Service, Human Resources, Immigration, Other, Uncategorized | | 1 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Harvard Report shows Illegal Immigration very costly to Arizona
Recently a Maricopa County Attorney hired a Harvard Economist and consultant to study data collected in 2005 regarding Arizona wages and Illegal Immigration. The data was found to contradict a previous report done in 2004 in which a University of Arizona academic attempted to quantity the impact of illegal immigration on the state resources. The U of A info back in 2004 was found to be "not sufficiently thorough" according to a recent article talking about the new Harvard Report.
You can find the article here, but in short, it basically says the contrary of the 2004 report done by the U of A. It states that Illegal Immigration costs that state of Arizona "at least $1.4 billion dollars." A large part of this cost is thought to exist due to the expansion of Arizona's labor pool and lowering of wages for competing American-born Citizens.
The bottom line is that this report proves something we all presumed and already knew- illegal immigration drives down wages! What a concept.
One more thing, not that it matters, but that report cost the Maricopa County Attorneys office a nice piece of change-$625 per hour and was completed in "a couple of weeks" states the article.
Posted January 10th, 2008 by Vincent - Posted in Immigration, Wages | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...AZ Minimum Wage Change January 1
Minimum wage in Arizona is changing just like the year is. It’s going up to $6.90 per hour effective tomorrow. Minimum wage will also be adjusted based on the cost of living yearly. Is it really a good thing to pay a higher minimum wage? What kind of message is it sending, is what I want to know?
Is this a move made to encourage legal workers to step into these low-end positions as illegal immigrants are being weeded out of Arizona business? Just a thought.
Posted December 31st, 2007 by admin - Posted in Benefits, Human Resources, Immigration | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...How Does the Employer Sanctions Law Involve You
Q: If you are licenced in another state but hire in AZ how does the employer sanctions law affect you?
A: It is unclear how they will enforce this part of the law. However, as it reads right now, the new sanctions law requires an employer to use E-verify program, which is a federally run program. The E-verify program requires an employer to use this system for ALL employees if it uses it for one. So, the translation is that an employer would have to run all of his/her employees through the E-verify program. Having said that, there are some murmurings from attorneys and those who wrote the law that this was not the intent of the AZ sanctions law, and that the federal government will not require strict adherence to this part of their program for AZ companies. This is only a rumor at this point. Check with your employment attorney for direction on how you should proceed for your business and industry.
Posted December 27th, 2007 by admin - Posted in Immigration | | 0 Comments
