E-Verify Fail

I love, love your blog and often comment under the 80 billion e-pseudonyms I have (I’m addicted to blogs, but that’s another story!)  How happy am I that I finally have a question for you? (Very.)

I’ve worked for Spherion off and on since college, over three years altogether.  Last August, I started an assignment that lasted six months.  This was the first time working for them in this particular city, so I didn’t think twice about having to fill out tons of paperwork, or drug-testing per the assignment company’s request.

If it was just a matter of personality, loyalty, and caring for employees, I would have ditched Spherion a long time ago.  In fact, after my initial six month assignment, I went to work for a tiny staffing agency and LOVED working there.  They gave me a raise and bent over backwards to help me at every turn.

I must be like the Faust of the temping world.  My circumstances changed (I started a PT internship so I could -gasp- stop temping and get a “real” job!) and Spherion was there.  The old company wanted me back, Spherion pays a ton of money, it seemed like the perfect deal.

Last week, I went to fill out paperwork.  The assignment company is super corporate, so I knew I’d have to resubmit the non-disclosure agreement & security paperwork.  But then I had to refill all my tax paperwork and they gave me guff for not bringing tons of ID.

“We need updated ID for you,” my agent said.

Because after all these years, I suddenly became illegal? They stripped me of my passport?  Don’t they keep this sort of thing on file?

They couldn’t find my drug-testing info, so I had to go back the next day (an hour commute each way).  My agent informed me that they had run my info through a system called E-verify.  E-verify is this new system where you can check employees through the Social Security Administration.  Unfortunately, the system has a high error rate, and if you have an error, you have to in person to an SSA office to correct it.  Of course, I had an error!

Monday, I spent three hours waiting in line at the SSA office to be “verified” and then another hour getting drug tested, then another two hours dropping the info off at Spherion.  Obviously, I’m really pissed about the situation.  Spherion’s attitude is that they can get away with these massive inefficiencies, while its staff has to take the burden of time and labor.  In this case, it was ten hours, and $16 worth of commute (via subway), and it was completely unnecessary!  I was thinking of invoicing them, but maybe a strong letter? Is it even worth it, should I just write them off as the asshole corporate staffing meat-grinder they are?  What do you think?

Pick your battles, my dear.

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