Private Employer E-Verify Affidavit Requirement Applies to
Companies with 100 or More Employees Starting July 1

Georgia law requires private employers that are seeking an occupation tax certificate (business license) or any other document required to operate a business with the county to register for and use E-Verify and to sign an E-Verify affidavit attesting to such. Any private employer who is not subject to this requirement must sign an affidavit attesting that they are exempt.

The E-Verify Private Employer requirement became effective on Jan. 1, 2012 for private employers with 500 or more employees and is being phased in over a 2-year period as follows: Private employers with 100 or more employees are subject to this requirement beginning on July 1, 2012 and employers with more than 10 employees are subject to this requirement beginning on July 1, 2013. From July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013,  if any employer has less than 100 employees, they are exempt from this requirement, but must complete an affidavit attesting that they are exempt. From July 1, 2013 and thereafter, only employers with less than 11 employees will be exempt.

The new requirement applies to any private employer seeking an occupation tax certificate or any other document (ex. alcohol license) required to operate a business with your county on or after July 1 who has 100 or more employees. It will not impact those business that have already applied for and received their certificates, licenses and documents prior to that date for this year.

Therefore, anyone seeking an occupation tax certificate, alcohol license or any other document required to operate a business with your county on or after July 1 who has 100 or more employees will need to sign and submit a Private Employer E-Verify Affidavit. If they have less than 100 employees, they will need to sign an exemption affidavit.

For more details on this requirement, review the immigration information on the ACCG website here.

ACCG Welcomes Summer Interns

pictured from left to right: Sarah Myatt, Brittany Zwald and Brooke Hoppmeyer

ACCG welcomed summer interns Brooke Hoppmeyer, Brittany Zwald, and Sarah Myatt in May to assist the association’s policy and legal staff with various projects. Over the course of their internships, they will have an opportunity to learn about county government issues and the ACCG policy process.

Sarah Myatt is a MPA student at the University of Georgia. Her concentration is in Public Policy and Local Government. She graduated cum laude with her Bachelor of Science from North Georgia College and State University in 2011 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in History. While at North Georgia College, she competed with the North Georgia College Equestrian Team for two years. After she graduates from UGA, Myatt hopes to work with local governments creating and drafting policy and to potentially run for a public office one day. 

Over the course of her internship with ACCG, she will update the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax Guidebook, create a public notice guide and a deadlines guide, track county commissioner election information and assist the policy staff as needed.

Brittany Zwald is a third-year law student at the University of Georgia, School of Law. She is originally from Social Circle. Zwald graduated from the University of Georgia in 2010, with a Bachelors degree in Political Science and minors in Philosophy and Environmental Law. Her focus in law school is local government, land use, and environmental law, with hopes of practicing in Georgia in government, non-profit, or other public interest fields. As an avid sports fan, she enjoys rooting for the Georgia Bulldawgs, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Hawks.  

While at ACCG, she will revise and update the Open Records and Open Meetings Guidebook, create content for and update the legal website, and assist the legal staff with various projects.  

Brooke Hoppmeyer recently graduated from Berry College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Political Science concentrating in American Government. Hoppmeyer’s hometown is Dacula. While at Berry, she received an athletic scholarship for the women’s soccer program and was a member of the women’s cross country team. Hoppmeyer was also a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society and Athletes Bettering the Community (ABC) at Berry where she performed community service projects. Hoppmeyer’s career aspirations are to attend graduate school to pursue a Masters degree in Public Policy and/or to find employment in the public or private sector that will allow her to work in the area of public policy.

During her time at ACCG, Brooke will create a comprehensive local government legal seminar database, research passport fees, track county commission election information, work on various court related projects and assist the policy staff as needed.

More information on the ACCG Internship Program can be found here.

Govenor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Department of Driver Services recently announced the launch of "Secure ID," a program aimed to further ensure the integrity of driver’s licenses and identification cards while offering additional protection from identity theft. 

Beginning July 1, customers who need to renew, reinstate or apply for their first Georgia DL/ID will have to visit a DDS Customer Service Center and present their original identification documents. They will have to prove their (1) identity, (2) full Social Security number and (3) residential address. Citizens have been required to personally provide these same types of documents and go through this same process for over a decade when applying for their first Georgia DL/ID.

The new Secure ID process will be phased-in with existing Georgia DL/IDs remaining valid until their expiration date. After presenting documentation at a DDS Customer Service Center, Georgians will be issued a new card with a gold star symbol in the upper right corner. Customers with a current Georgia DL/ID may continue to use it as an acceptable form of identification and/or for boarding a commercial flight and entering federal buildings as long as it is valid.

For aid in this process or for more information, please click here.

Secure ID Brochure (link)

Georgia's aging barns are a symbol of its rich agricultural history. UGA writers and photographers are interested in identifying and photographing these landmarks to preserve their memories and a piece of Georgia's history.

If you know about any photogenic barns in your area, send contact information and an address to aprilr@uga.edu.

Contact/Questions:
April Reese Sorrow
UGA Research Writer
Work: 706 / 542-7991
Email: aprilr@uga.edu