With the average defense cost of a single plaintiff suit hovering around $100,000 and the average award at about $500,000 based on lawyers’ anecdotal reports, employment practices liability 
insurance has become a must-buy policy for most businesses for protection against claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and age and race discrimination.
If the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement opened a costly investigation of your business and employment practices, would the legal costs be covered under your existing employment practices liability insurance policy?
For many companies, the answer is surprisingly no.
When underwritten with the right enhancement, an EPLI policy can also provide valuable protection against immigration-related issues and government inquiries, which have risen dramatically in recent years.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reports:
- Onsite employment eligibility verification (known as I-9 inspections after the I-9 form required for each new employee) more than doubled in 2009 versus the previous year to 1,069 cases.Â
- Notice of Intent to Fine (NIF) cases have also risen substantially, from 32 cases totaling $2.3 million in fines in 2008 to 142 cases totaling $15.8 million in fines in 2009.
