Do you have to fill out a W4 and I-9?
Mia Phillips
Updated on March 19, 2026
A complete and accurate I-9 and W-4 is mandatory for every new hire. The employee should fill out both forms on the first day of work. As part of the I-9 process, you’ll also need to review acceptable documentation provided by the employee.
Can I-9 forms be electronically signed?
If you complete Form I-9 electronically using an electronic signature, your system for capturing electronic signatures must: Create and preserve a record verifying the identity of the person producing the signature; Upon the employee’s request, provide a printed confirmation of the transaction; and.
Is a W4 the same as a I-9?
W9 is different from a W4 because a W4 is telling the employer how many exemptions one may have and a W9 to find their taxpayer identification number. An employee uses a W4 to inform the company’s payroll department how much tax to withhold from their earned income.
Why do employers make new hires complete an I-9 form?
Use Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.
Can you get paid without i9?
Yes. An incomplete I-9 form does not affect an employer’s ability or obligation to pay an employee. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay an employee who performs work, even if the employee is found to be unauthorized to work in the U.S. or quits employment prior to completing the I-9 form.
Does an I-9 need to be signed in person?
Since it must be done in person, employers essentially have two options for verifying I-9 documents for remote employees: Designate an authorized representative to inspect the documents for remote employees. Use a notary public.
Do employers need to keep original I-9?
The employer must retain Form I-9 until the date on Line C. The employer is required to retain the page of the form on which the employer and the employee entered data. If copies of documents presented by your employees were made, they should be kept with the corresponding Form I-9.
Can you get paid without I9?
What happens if I9 is not completed in 3 days?
Employers must complete and sign Section 2 of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, within 3 business days of the date of hire of their employee (the hire date means the first day of work for pay). If the job lasts less than 3 days, you must complete Section 2 no later than the first day of work for pay.
How to fill out an employment I-9 form?
1. Examine any document that reflects the employee is authorized to work in the United States (see List A orC); 2. Record the document title, document number, and expiration date (if any) in Block C; and 3. Complete the signature block. A. If an employee’s name has changed at the time this form is being updated/reverified, complete Block A. B.
How does an employer use the W-4 Form?
Unless you are hired as an independent contractor, your employer will use information you provide to fill out the W-4 form and withhold the correct amount of income tax from your pay. Issued by the Internal Revenue Service, Form W-4 includes three types of information your employer will use to determine your withholding:
Do you have to make a copy of Form I-9?
If an employee chooses to present an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) or U.S. Passport or Passport Card, the employer must make a copy of the document and retain it with the employee’s Form I-9.
Is it illegal to discriminate on Form I-9?
Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Anti-Discrimination Notice. It is illegal to discriminate against any individual (other than an alien not authorized to work in the United States) in hiring, discharging, or recruiting or referring for a fee because of that individual’s national origin or citizenship status.