New York and Boston are not the only ports of entry for those seeking a new life in America. Baltimore, Maryland is a major port on the Atlantic seaboard as well as having a major international airport. Thousands of legal immigrants arrive in Maryland annually, and the state has a firmly established immigrant population. Maryland also poses the same challenges to the newcomers as any other state with a large immigrant population.
The Road to Citizenship
Naturalization is a long process but even green cards require a lot of paper processing. There are language barriers that make it difficult for a noncitizen to fully assimilate, or even understand the words on a legal document. Regrettably, these people are trapped in a box of fear and apprehension. Legal help is required to make the road ahead easier to travel.
Human resources professionals are well-versed in matters of I-9 employment eligibility verification and what is required for permanent visas. However, management may not be fully aware of what an employee’s immigrant family is going through. The problems that create anxiety for an employee may be based in the difficulty of processing paperwork for a dependent spouse. There can be a legitimate concern that immigration and citizenship issues may prevent a stable domestic environment. That does have an effect on productivity. Examining the possibility of a group legal plan is something any human resources director ought to consider to relieve employee stress brought on by foreign status.
A Workable Solution
Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services provides assistance to Maryland employers in developing voluntary payroll deduction plans that offer a significant benefit to employees. Group legal services introduce a worried employee to a network of lawyers who are familiar with immigration law as it pertains to Maryland. Such benefits also help with the fees charged by an immigration attorney. The ability of these seasoned professionals to cut through red tape and process forms correctly make a group legal plan practically a godsend. The help that comes from this voluntary payroll deduction benefit can resolve problems that started when a dependent or spouse stepped foot on Maryland soil. It is assistance that is sincerely and deeply appreciated by any employee.
Countrywide is aware of the need for human resource professionals to explain this benefit, and is happy to provide any information and communication to educate the employees so they can make an informed decision. Over 25 years of work in the group legal benefit arena gives Countrywide a solid understanding of how such a service can help. Voluntary payroll deductions are easy to administer. It is Countrywide’s way of seeing to it that any and all benefits outweigh the costs.
Maryland is a great place of opportunity and many immigrants will attest to that. An employer who proactively helps new arrivals by offering a group legal plan provides a valuable service. Coming to a distant shore is a major step for anyone. With a benefit designed by Countrywide Pre-Paid legal services, it is not a movement into legal quicksand.