Understanding Ohio’s New E-verify Workforce Integrity Act

Did you know that employers who perform any direct or indirect work on non‑residential construction projects (residential construction is excluded) in Ohio will be required to comply with Ohio's new E-verify Workforce Integrity Act beginning in March 2026?

A nonresidential construction project is defined as “the construction or renovation of any building, highway, bridge, utility or related infrastructure” and includes work on a nonresidential projects that would be viewed as an "improvement" or "renovation." 

You are likely covered if you answer,  "yes" to any of the following questions:

• Do we work on commercial, industrial or public construction sites?
• Do we send employees or temporary workers to non‑residential job sites?
• Do we act as a contractor, subcontractor or labor supplier on public works projects?

If so, you should plan to comply with the new e‑verify requirements. Non-compliance will result in both financial penalties and ineligibility for future state contracts, for up to two years.

What Do Employers Need to Do?

Employers who are not currently using e‑verify must enroll before March 19, 2026. Enrollment instructions are available on the federal e-verify Website and employers will need to designate the individual responsible for submitting the information through the system.

Take time to review the act to understand whether the new e‑verify requirements apply to your organization. If they do, partnering with HR and legal teams can help ensure everyone understands what’s changing and why. Updating your hiring processes now will help support compliance while keeping the candidate experience smooth and consistent.

To learn more about this, contact Clark Schaefer Strategic HR.