edit: please see this more recent post that discusses a newer article that contradicts the information about the law applying only to new hires.
I haven't talked much about the employer sanctions law, mainly because i feel it's gotten enough attention and i like to focus on that which don't get covered as much by the media. However, i found it interesting that Russell Pearce, the main author of the law, came out to say that this law only applies to new hires as of january '08, not to anyone who has already been hired. Clearly there has been misunderstanding, since just recently, news has been reported about hundreds and possibly thousands of people getting fired in preparation for this law to be in effect. I'm tempted to think it may have been intentional that this misunderstanding was allowed to occur.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of undocumented workers have been fired as a result of Arizona businesses reviewing the work-eligibility forms of their employees as the state's new employer-sanctions law draws near.
The fired workers couldn't provide missing information uncovered during the reviews or confessed to being in the country illegally, say attorneys involved in the reviews.
The number of firings could grow significantly once the law goes into effect Jan. 1 as employers scramble to make sure they are in compliance. Under the law, repeat violators will lose their business licenses. (Source).
The Arizona Republic carried a story today saying that Pearce informed them that the law only applies to new hires.
edit: please see this more recent post that discusses a newer article that contradicts the information about the law applying only to new hires.
