NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – A new addition to New Hanover County contracts will make sure that everyone on the job has the proper paperwork.
County Commissioner Rick Catlin proposed that the legal department add specific wording that would close any loopholes of undocumented workers earning county money.
"It's the right thing to do legally," said Catlin. "It's not a political decision, it's a legal decision. It's just the right thing to do."
Catlin said he's not worried about the extra bureaucracy keeping companies from applying for county contracts.
"You don't avoid doing something right out of fear of causing another problem," said Catlin.
Catlin said he's not sure if undocumented workers were a concern, but the county has an obligation to make sure public money goes to legal citizens.
From what WECT.com found, New Hanover County is the only county government in Southeast North Carolina to have a policy like this. The addition reads:
"Contractors and Sub-Contractors shall verify their employees' identity and eligibility to work and provide services in complete compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws, including but not limited to the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Documentation establishing compliance must be made available upon request from County."
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