Bloomberg Study: E-Verify frees up jobs for Legal Workers

A new study conducted by Senior Quantitative Analyst Jason Arvelo with Bloomberg Government has found that there is evidence to support E-Verify’s ability to deter the hiring of unauthorized workers. The study evaluates the impact that state-passed E-Verify laws had on different industries within those states.The study came away with two key findings. First, State legislatures have experimented with E-Verify laws varying how fast they’re rolled out and how strictly they’re enforced. This study finds that strict penalties probably lead to higher compliance rates among employers. Second, the research suggests that E-Verify mandates, when rolled out to all employers, influence worker behavior. Soon after E-Verify laws were signed in Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina, unauthorized workers in specific industries appeared to drop off employer payrolls. This prompted employers in many cases to fill positions with authorized workers.In Arizona, the Bloomberg study found a signifcant shift in the legal status of workers in apparel manufacturing, commercial bakeries, and taxi and limousine service. In South Carolina, Bloomberg found evidence of shifts in the legal status of workers in crop production, commercial bakeries, and special food service.The complete study includes charts that show the shifts in the workforce in Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. To view the study, click here.