Washington, D.C., September, 2011— The National Restaurant Association today commended the House Judiciary Committee for passing the “Legal Workforce Act,” legislation that would establish one federal E-Verify system, instead of today’s existing patchwork of inconsistent state and local rules that are unworkable for multi-state employers and their prospective employees.
“Uniformity is key to an industry of 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets comprised mostly of small businesses that employ nearly 13 million people,” said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “We appreciate the work of Chairman Lamar Smith and members of the House Judiciary Committee who recognized the importance of one federal E-Verify system in the face of an untenable system of 50 different states and numerous local governments setting their own verification laws.”
The National Restaurant Association has worked steadily with Chairman Smith, who engaged the business community to create a workable E-Verify program for all employers, regardless of location, that accommodates their different needs. The E-Verify system allows employers to electronically verify that newly hired employees are legally authorized to work in the United States. Social Security numbers of new hires are checked against Social Security Administration and/or Department of Homeland Security records.
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at
