As of 1 October 2025, the U.S. federal government has shut down, and E-Verify services are temporarily unavailable. This article outlines what you need to do to remain compliant with Form I-9 requirements and what to expect once E-Verify is back online.
Key Takeaways
Form I-9s must still be completed within three business days.
E-Verify is unavailable during the shutdown.
You should NOT submit cases to E-Verify during this time.
Late cases should be manually submitted later with the reason “Federal Government Shutdown.”
TNC deadlines are paused until service resumes.
Other Fountain products remain available.
This article pertains to steps and guidance related to Fountain's Hire legacy I-9 product. For steps and guidance related to Fountain's I-9 Center product, please review this article.
Do I still need to complete Form I-9s?
Yes. The government shutdown does not pause Form I-9 requirements.
You must continue to complete Form I-9 within three business days of a new hire’s start date.
This remains a federal requirement, regardless of E-Verify availability.
What happens to E-Verify during the shutdown?
You cannot create new E-Verify cases.
You cannot update or check the status of existing cases.
You cannot take action on Tentative Nonconfirmations (TNCs).
The system will be completely offline until the shutdown ends.
Can my users still technically submit to E-Verify during the shutdown, or is this automatically blocked?
Technically, yes, they can. You should provide guidance to your users to NOT submit until the E-Verify is back available.
What if I can’t create an E-Verify case on time?
When E-Verify is back online, if a case is outside the three-day window, the system may ask for a reason.
Select “Other”
Enter “Federal Government Shutdown”
This note will serve as acceptable documentation for compliance and audit purposes.
What if I had cases in Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC) before the shutdown?
TNC deadlines are automatically paused during the shutdown.
Employees and employers will have additional time to resolve them once E-Verify is back online.
No adverse action should be taken against an employee because of a TNC while the system is unavailable.
What should I do once E-Verify is restored?
Manually submit all cases to E-Verify that were created during the shutdown.
Provide the correct reason (“Federal Government Shutdown”) for any cases that are late.
Resume working on TNCs where you left off. Deadlines will reset once the system is restored.
Are other Fountain products impacted?
No.
Onboarding, Compliance, and background checks not tied to federal systems will continue to work normally.
Only the I-9 integration with E-Verify is affected.
How will I know when E-Verify is back online?
Fountain will notify all I-9 customers via email, in-app banner, and Help Center updates.
You’ll also see a banner in Workbench confirming when services are restored. Still have questions? Contact [Fountain Support] or reach out to your CSM.
Once E-Verify is back online, what is the action for my users?
Any cases that were not submitted during the shutdown must be manually submitted.