AUTHOR:  Rebecca Massiatte.

As of September 8, 2013, Iowa joins Mississippi, Florida and Idaho as participant states in the Records and Information from DMV’s for E-Verify (RIDE) program. 
 
The RIDE program allows the federal government’s E-Verify system to verify information from employees who submit a state driver’s license or state identification document in the course of the I-9 Employment Verification Process. Touted as a mechanism to fight identity fraud, RIDE seeks to boost the accuracy of the E-verify employment eligibility verification process. While RIDE does not incorporate photos from the individual state database, it does provide all information provided in connection with the issuance of the driver’s license and state identification document. 
 
A state-issued driver’s license or state identification document are two of the items from a list of choices that an employee can present to an employer as a “List B” document (to verify identity) in connection with  Form I-9 verification.  In 2011, E-Verify expanded its information sources to include driver’s licenses. 
 
RIDE allows employers to verify the information associated with a state issued driver’s license or identification card.  This can help prevent unauthorized persons from using a fraudulently obtained document to obtain a job.  Unfortunately, without the inclusion of photo identification, RIDE does not eliminate issues associated with identity theft. Additional states are expected to sign on to the RIDE Program.