Under the Onboarding menu within the I-9 Forms inbox, you'll find details of the Document Verification result. The following outlines the action to take on the result of submissions.

If the submission from the employee is verified, it will appear in the applicable I-9 Forms tab with a ‘Verified’ tag (indicated in green):

No additional action is required for verified submissions. The details of the verification can be viewed by clicking on the 'Verified' badge. These results can also be seen with the Form I-9 submission.

However, while the document verification step is complete, other parts of the I-9 process may still require action. For example, the process might still be awaiting completion by a remote or authorized representative.

Note: Verification will only appear for documents eligible for verification. It is still advisable to review your verified documents to ensure accuracy. Additionally, always check for any additional notifications or pending steps in WorkBright to ensure the entire process is completed.

An admin may need to take action in WorkBright when a document fails checks and Document Verification cannot validate it. You will not receive any notifications, but you will see these listed with an ‘Unable to Verify’ tag (indicated in red).

The 'Unable to Verify' status can occur for several reasons, including issues with document clarity (e.g., blurry images or unreadable barcodes), technical errors during upload, or documents that require manual review due to compliance checks.

This status does not necessarily mean the document is invalid or that the employee is unauthorized to work; rather, it serves as a prompt for administrators to review the document manually and determine the next steps.

If you click the ‘Unable to Verify’ status, a window will slide out to review the document. From here, you can confirm you have reviewed the document by clicking the ‘Mark as Reviewed’ button (indicated in blue).

Above this button, you will see a comments box where you can write comments as needed regarding the review. Below this button, in the status box, you can view the checks that passed/failed by clicking on ‘Show Checks’. This can also be done via the employee’s profile by navigating to their I-9 submission.

Administrators can decide whether to mark the document as reviewed, replace the document, or request a new submission from the employee, depending on the organization's compliance preferences.

If the issue is only image quality, such as a blurry photo, and Section 2 has already been countersigned, Redo Employer Section lets you record clearer images without sending the employee a new form. See Editing Section 2 of the I-9.

Upon clicking ‘Mark as Reviewed’, the status will update with the ‘Reviewed by Admin’ tag, seen below.

This review is only confirmation that you have reviewed the document and does not update the Form I-9 to which it is attached. If there are additional steps you need to take on the submission, they must be done on the Form I-9 itself. (ex: Accept or Reject)

NOTE:

It is up to you, as the Employer of Record, to make the decision to accept any document(s) provided. Any checks that did not pass may or may not indicate fraud, mistake, or misrepresentation. Please review any associated checks and select ‘Mark as Reviewed’ and include any optional comments. It is at your discretion whether to proceed with employment, request a new submission, or terminate employment in consultation with your own internal counsel and the USCIS Handbook for Employers.

The 'Unable to Verify' status is an informational flag and does not mean the employee is unauthorized to work. It serves as a notification for further action and does not prevent the I-9 from being automatically sent to E-Verify.

You'll be able to see the verification status ‘Verified’ (indicated in green) as well as the admin action ‘Reviewed by Admin’ (indicated in blue) and comments, if made, in the Form I-9 inbox:

For Document Verification users from March 12, 2025 (03/12/2025) and before, you will still have your previous submission indicated with the ‘Approved by Admin’ (indicated in blue) for accepted documents and ‘Declined by Admin’ (indicated in blue) for rejected documents. These historic selections will be filterable and found under the ‘Reviewed’ filter.

You can click the verification status to open a side window that shows details such as Status, Show Checks, Date, Reviewed by Admin, and Comments, if any.

A WorkBright admin can filter for different verification statuses within all tabs except Missing or Rejected:

No, this will only update the status in Document Verification and does not certify acceptance/rejection of Form I-9.

Paper I-9 uploads do not automatically trigger E-Verify processing. These documents remain in the WorkBright system for audit purposes. To create an E-Verify case, you must do so manually in your E-Verify account and upload the closed case into the employee's supplemental files. Alternatively, you can request a remote reverification or reject the submission and have the employee complete the I-9 electronically.

Yes, you can proceed without marking these documents as reviewed. The status will remain as 'Unable to Verify,' but it will not impact the overall process. It is up to the employer to decide whether to review the document, replace it, or request a new submission.