Oklahoma's new immigration law

allsteaks

I understand that Oklahoma's governor has signed the toughest immigration law in the country. If you're an OK business, what effect has it had? Is the new law perceived as good or bad for business in general? Does it have any substance to reducing the flow of illegals into OK?
Just curious; thanks!

joannie

Boy howdy did he ever! I'll give you the short version. When a person is confined to a city, county or regional jail on a felony or DUI charge the keeper of the jail must verify the individual has been lawfull admitted to the US. All state and political sub-division will be required to use the Basic Pilot program. Effective July 1, 2008 any one contractor with the state must verify all new ee's through an electronic status verification system. And the biggie - If you discharge a US citizen or a permanent resident alien while retaining an illegal in the same type of position, if you know or should have known he is an illegal, you are guilty of a discriminatory practice.

For now, it doesn't have an effect on private employers. Ask this question again this time next year. From what I've heard, most businesses think it will be a burden for those who did not hire illegals in the first place and won't change the practices of those who did until (if) they get caught.

I've already received notification from USIS-Dac Services that they will perform E-verification on new ee's that meets the state requirement for $5.00 per ee. For me, since 95+% of all my new hires are drivers and are run through their system, it's just an additional cost and another check mark on the input screen.