The federal government shutdown on October 1, 2025, could affect some payroll operations. Due to a lapse in funding, some federal agencies have shut down and services are not available, including E-Verify [E-Verify, E-Verify Is Temporarily Unavailable, 10-1-25]. Employers are unable to access their E-Verify accounts during this time, and customer support is also unavailable.
Employers must continue to complete and retain Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers using an authorized, alternative procedure to perform a remote examination of employees’ Form I-9 documents may continue to do so if they remain enrolled in good standing in E-Verify during the shutdown.
Temporary policies are in place while E-Verify is unavailable, including suspension of the “3-day rule” for creating E-Verify cases and an extension of time for employees to resolve E-Verify mismatches.
IRS Will Continue Operations
The IRS published its shutdown contingency plan, which states normal IRS operations will continue 5 business days following a lapse in funding. The plan does not provide information about agency operations if the shutdown continues for more than 5 business days.
Employers can check the IRS’s Latest News Releases webpage for updates.
To learn more about federal and state laws, regulations, and information to keep your company's payroll operations in compliance, check out Payroll Source Plus!
Rayna Alexander, Esq., is Editor of Payroll Information Resources for PayrollOrg.
