Summary
I-9 Center v2 provides a more modern and scalable foundation for employment eligibility verification. The biggest changes are:
A more complete worker record that better supports rehires, multiple jobs, and multiple employer accounts
Clearer I-9 and E-Verify statuses
Improved admin visibility through richer activity history
More flexible Section 2 completion options
Native notification settings that are easier to manage
Better support for historical or paper I-9 records
New AI-assisted setup and support capabilities
For most users, the product will still feel familiar: workers complete I-9 and W-4 steps, employers review Section 2 and E-Verify items, and admins manage records from I-9 Center. The changes are primarily designed to make the experience more reliable, easier to audit, and easier to manage at scale.
What stays the same
I-9 Center v2 is not a replacement of the overall compliance process. The following remain the same:
The product is still I-9 Center. The name and purpose are unchanged.
WorkBright is still used for I-9, W-4, and E-Verify processing.
Workers still complete required forms through the I-9 Center flow.
Employers still complete Section 2, manage E-Verify cases, and review W-4 activity.
The core compliance workflow is the same: Section 1, Section 2, E-Verify when applicable, completion, reverification, and rehire handling.
Existing role and permission concepts remain familiar. Customers should not need to relearn the product access model just because their organization moves to v2.
What is new or improved in I-9 Center v2
A more complete worker history
I-9 Center v1 was organized around individual I-9 and W-4 form records. This worked for straightforward cases, but it could be harder to manage workers who were rehired, had multiple jobs, or were associated with multiple employer accounts.
I-9 Center v2 is organized around a more complete person-level employment record. This helps preserve the worker’s I-9, E-Verify, W-4, rehire, and related history over time.
Why it matters
Admins can more easily understand a worker’s full I-9 and W-4 history, especially for rehires or complex employment scenarios.
Clearer statuses and case progress
I-9 Center v2 uses a more structured status model for I-9 and E-Verify progress. Instead of relying on a single broad status, v2 more clearly separates where the worker is in the process and what action is needed next.
Examples include clearer tracking for:
Section 1
Section 2
E-Verify
Reverification
EAD-related review
Completion
Rehire or restart activity
Why this matters
Admins and support teams can more quickly identify where a case is stuck and what needs to happen next.
More Section 2 completion options
I-9 Center v2 makes Section 2 completion methods more explicit. Depending on configuration, customers may use options such as:
Authorized Representative
Admin Validation
On-Site Verification
Live Video Verification
Why it matters
Customers have clearer, more flexible options for completing document inspection based on their operating model.
Improved E-Verify handling
I-9 Center v2 provides more flexible E-Verify controls. Instead of only supporting cases where E-Verify is skipped, v2 supports a broader E-Verify override concept.
This can help customers account for exceptions where E-Verify should either be skipped or required based on the worker, location, job, or other customer-specific rules.
Why it matters
Admins have more control over E-Verify exceptions without needing a workaround.
Better activity history and audit visibility
I-9 Center v2 includes a richer activity history for I-9 and W-4 records. Admins can see more detailed events related to status changes, tags, E-Verify overrides, WorkBright updates, restarts, rehires, and other important actions.
Why it matters
It is easier to understand what happened, when it happened, and why a record is in its current state.
Native notification settings
In I-9 Center v1, some reminders and notifications depended more heavily on provider-side configuration. In v2, notification settings are managed more directly within I-9 Center.
Admins can configure notification behavior for key reminders and status-based messages, including channel-specific options where available.
Why it matters
Notification setup is more consistent and easier to manage, with less dependency on external provider configuration.
Improved worker experience
The worker-facing I-9 experience in v2 is more guided and responsive. Workers are routed to the right step based on their current case status, and the experience better supports Section 2 method selection, appointment-related flows, E-Verify follow-up steps, and deactivated records.
Why it matters
Workers are more likely to see the correct next step without needing manual intervention or repeated refreshes.
Historical and paper I-9 support
I-9 Center v2 can support imported historical I-9 records, including records that originated outside of the current digital workflow.
These records are generally read-only and intended for reference, reporting, and audit history rather than active form completion.
Why it matters
Customers can centralize more I-9 history in one place, including legacy or paper-based records.
AI-assisted setup and support
I-9 Center v2 introduces AI-assisted capabilities for setup, management, and support. These capabilities are designed to help admins configure I-9 Center, understand record status, and troubleshoot common issues more efficiently.
Why it matters
Customers can get more guidance directly in the product as they configure and manage I-9 Center.
Noticeable Differences'
Area | What may change in v2 |
Navigation | Some I-9 Center pages may appear in updated locations or use updated page names. |
Statuses | Status labels and next-action prompts may be clearer or more specific. |
Section 2 | Admins may see more explicit options for how Section 2 can be completed. |
E-Verify | “Skip E-Verify” language may be replaced by broader override-related language. |
Activity history | Records may show more detailed activity and audit events. |
Notifications | Notification configuration may be managed more directly in I-9 Center. |
Rehires | Rehire flows may better preserve prior history and support reuse of valid prior I-9 information where appropriate. |
Historical records | Imported historical records may appear as read-only records. |
Reports or legacy pages | Some legacy v1 views may not appear in the same location in v2. |
Migration expectations
Fountain manages the move from I-9 Center v1 to v2. Customers do not need to choose between the two versions manually.
For customers who are setting up I-9 Center v2 for the first time, refer to the I-9 Center v2 self-implementation guide for detailed setup steps.
During migration, Fountain works to preserve customer settings, worker records, I-9 history, W-4 history, and relevant WorkBright information. Some customers may be migrated in phases depending on their configuration, data volume, and implementation needs.
You should expect:
The I-9 Center experience to remain familiar overall
Updated pages and labels in some areas
More detailed statuses and activity history
Improved support for rehires and historical records
Fountain or Customer Success guidance if customer-specific migration steps are required
Frequently asked questions
Is I-9 Center v2 a new product?
Is I-9 Center v2 a new product?
No. I-9 Center v2 is the current version of I-9 Center. It improves the underlying experience and adds new capabilities, but the core purpose remains the same: helping customers manage I-9, E-Verify, and W-4 workflows.
Does v2 change the I-9 compliance process?
Does v2 change the I-9 compliance process?
No. The underlying Form I-9, E-Verify, W-4, reverification, and rehire requirements are unchanged. v2 improves how those workflows are represented and managed in Fountain.
Does v2 replace WorkBright?
Does v2 replace WorkBright?
No. WorkBright continues to support I-9, W-4, and E-Verify processing.
Will workers need to do anything differently?
Will workers need to do anything differently?
Most workers will follow a similar process. Some workers may see a more guided experience, clearer next steps, or additional Section 2 method options depending on the customer’s configuration.
Will admins need new permissions?
Will admins need new permissions?
In most cases, customers should not need to make broad permission changes simply because they move from v1 to v2. Existing I-9 Center access concepts remain familiar.
What happens to historical or paper I-9 records?
What happens to historical or paper I-9 records?
Where supported and included in the migration, historical records can be imported into I-9 Center v2 as read-only records for reference and audit history.
Can customers stay on v1?
Can customers stay on v1?
I-9 Center v2 is the current version of I-9 Center. Fountain is moving customers to v2 over time and will provide guidance for customers that require migration planning.