Articles Posted in Immigration

If eyes are watching what is going on regarding immigration in Congress, it is a safe bet that many of them are viewing the progress from California. The Golden State takes great pride in being a very diverse and multicultural community. Many of its citizens are legal immigrants from other countries, but these same people may have family members who are trying to cope with existing laws. How to best deal with what is currently on the books and respond to what may soon be enforceable law can be daunting.

An enormous amount of immigration law has been written over the years, creating a substantial body of law requiring adherence. Legal aliens need to make certain that permanent residence papers are in good order, and many immigrants are trying to help their family members become permanent residents in the United States. Current procedures and legal protocols are difficult enough. Anything that is new may require a bewildering amount of new paperwork and forms to be processed , creating a need for legal help.

Employers look the other way on these issues at their own risk. Any changes in immigration law could affect the company’s workforce and not always in a good way. Employees could have dependents whose status in America might be adversely impacted by any new law, and result in a round of legal filings that are time consuming. Indeed, the employee may have to miss work in order to help out. A worst-case scenario could be deportation hearings, which only add to the emotional burden borne by a productive associate. Prepaid legal services as a benefit offered by the company can definitely help everybody both with existing rules and any possible new ones.

Immigration is a topic that is widely discussed in New Jersey. Reforms enacted in Washington will have serious impact but until they are passed, existing law prevails. That can cause a problem for a number of employees in any given company. An individual may have problems with a work visa or the green card needed to be in United States. This would probably require legal assistance to sort out. Moreover, there is the question of family and possible issues arising from kin. An immigrant’s family is a source of support when thousands of miles away from home. Family members may have trouble with immigration law and once again an attorney might be needed. The stress of immigration problems can be considerable to say the very least. It can very easily affect an individual’s performance as worries about the current legal status of family members mount.

Federal law applies overall, but New Jersey does have certain statutes pertaining to immigrants within the state. The Work First New Jersey program which provides a number of benefits to families is off-limits for anyone who is an illegal immigrant. A person has to prove legal immigrant status and that is not something that’s easy to do alone. Altercations with law enforcement officials checking immigration status can also be a bone of contention. An employee who has family members who are immigrants is equally exposed to the stresses and concerns that non-US citizens often face.

A company can make things easier with a group legal plan. This helps employee sort through immigration concerns with credentialed attorneys who are grounded in immigration laws governing non-citizens in New Jersey. Depending on the specifics of the given plan, members of an employee’s family can also have access to such legal counsel, helping them better adapt in a similar to a new country. Problems about residency, worker status, or just eligibility for government programs can be quickly resolved with the services of the group legal plan. An employer who is sensitive to the needs of any employee, but particularly those who are non-US citizens, can quickly see how essential a group legal plan as an employee benefit can be. Most importantly, it really doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg and some or all the costs could be borne by the individual employee.