A smarter way to manage TPS & EAD compliance

If you employ individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), you already know how complex and high-stakes Employment Authorization Document (EAD) compliance can be.

TPS status is temporary, vulnerable to policy shifts, and entirely dependent on one thing: a valid EAD. When that document expires, so does the individual’s legal authorization to work in the U.S.—and if you don’t act in time, your organization is at risk.

Over the past few months, changing immigration policy has added uncertainty for TPS holders. Several TPS designations were suddenly rescinded, affecting entire communities and workplaces.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began linking TPS compliance to specific country codes, making it more important than ever for employers to accurately track where employees’ protected status originates.

Here’s how you can stay ahead of TPS and EAD compliance—even as policies shift quickly.

The problem: I-9 forms don’t capture country codes

The federal Form I-9 is the backbone of employment eligibility verification in the U.S. But here’s the catch: it doesn’t require the TPS country code or country of origin. And unless your HR platform is built specifically to collect that data (most aren’t), you’re flying blind.

That leaves companies scrambling to track:

• Which employees have TPS
• What country their TPS applies to
• When their EADs expire
• Whether they’re still authorized to work

All of that information is critical. But right now, gathering it requires manual form setup, deep reporting knowledge, and careful documentation review. And if you miss something—like an expired EAD—you’re looking at serious legal exposure.

Non-compliance isn’t an option

Failing to act on an expired EAD means you may be continuing to employ someone who is no longer authorized to work in the U.S. That can trigger serious consequences, including:

• I-9 violations and fines
• Potential ICE audits
• Damage to your business’s reputation
• Criminal liability in some cases

With dozens—or even hundreds—of employees, keeping tabs on every expiration date and documentation type is nearly impossible without the right tools.

That’s why WorkBright is introducing a brand new way to manage TPS/EAD compliance.

Three ways to manage TPS/EAD compliance with WorkBright

We’ve launched a service specifically designed to help employers close the TPS/EAD compliance gap—without adding more stress to your plate. Whether you want to take full control or hand it off to the experts, you have options.

Option 1: Self-guided setup

Prefer to do it yourself? We’ve got the tools to help. With access to our detailed knowledge base, your team can follow step-by-step articles to:

• Create custom employee forms to collect country code, country of origin, and EAD expiration date.
• Assign those forms to employees for completion.
• Build and run reports to identify individuals who may be at risk.

Best for: Teams with strong in-house compliance knowledge and the time to manage setup and monitoring on their own.

Option 2: Done-for-you setup

Want a head start without handing it all off? We’ll set it up—you manage the rest. With this service, WorkBright will:

• Build and configure all custom fields, employee forms, and compliance reports.
• Ensure the system is fully ready for employee input.
• Leave ongoing data collection and follow-up to your internal team.

Best for: Teams that want expert setup but prefer to manage submissions and reviews internally.

Option 3: Premium full-service (we handle everything)

Need complete support? We’ll take it from here. With our full-service option, WorkBright manages the entire process:

• Our team reviews I-9s and supporting documentation.
• We extract key details like EAD category code, expiration date, and country of origin.
• All data is entered into prebuilt reports—starting with the EAD/TPS Review Report.
• Admins can log in anytime to see who needs follow-up—no digging through paperwork.

Best for: Busy or high-risk teams that need turnkey compliance with minimal effort. 

What you need to know

We’re ready to help—but there are a few key things to consider before getting started:

• Migration of legacy documents: This service is only available to customers whose legacy Form I-9s and EAD documents have been successfully migrated into WorkBright. If you are brand new to WorkBright, our team can help you evaluate what this process looks like. 
• Processing time: We will provide a timeline after assessing your current setup, depending on volume and complexity.
• Security first: All report-building and data handling is done under our strict internal security protocols.

Ready to get started?

Whether you want full control, professional setup, or a completely hands-off solution, we’ll help you stay compliant and confident.

• Existing customers, reach out to your current WorkBright representative.
• New customers, please contact our team to find the best service option for your needs.

The bottom line? Don't leave EAD and TPS compliance to chance. With ever-changing immigration policy and tighter enforcement, it’s not worth the risk.