The controversial "no-match" rule, originally scheduled to go into effect early in September, has been delayed again.

On Oct. 10, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the no-match rule until the court has had the chance to fully examine the issue. The injunction "is uncommon, indicating that the plaintiffs have a high probability of succeeding" says Jeanne Ramsay, SAF's director of government relations.

The federal court had ordered a temporary 10-day extension to the restraining order preventing the Department of Homeland Security from issuing no-match letters during an Oct. 1 hearing. These letters are triggered when an employer has employees whose names and Social Security numbers do not match what is provided on the employer's W-2 form.

The original restraining order was granted in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups. Read more.

While Ramsay says the rule is likely to remain in limbo for several months, until the court issues its final ruling, "this is no time to sit down and rest. The only solution to the problem at hand is passage of legislation, so we must redouble our efforts to secure legislative reform."

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 

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