Evans Custom Concrete was recognized as an “IMAGE” or “ICE Government-Employer Reciprocal Agreement” partner during a ceremony Thursday. IMAGE is a voluntary program that allows private companies to partner with ICE to reduce fraudulent hiring and the use of fraudulent identification documents.
“We are pleased to welcome Evans Custom Concrete as Yuma’s first IMAGE partner,” said Scott Brown, HSI Deputy Special Agent in Charge of Phoenix. “HSI recognizes that the highest levels of workforce integrity can only be achieved through close collaboration with industry partners. Evans Custom Concrete is committed to maintaining a lawful workforce. We join 20 other companies in the state and hundreds across the nation.”
Evans Custom Concrete was founded in 2006 and is a Yuma-based commercial and residential concrete contractor. The 30-employee company has provided specific construction services for a variety of projects in the Yuma area, including a new Fry’s grocery store in the Foothills and renovations at Alexander Toyota and Yuma Honda.
Les Evans, owner of Evans Custom Concrete, said: “Good employment practices are a key element in staying compliant with state and federal regulations, and we believe this benefits not only our company, but our employees as well.”
Undocumented workers are vulnerable in today’s marketplace by presenting false documentation to obtain employment, completing fraudulent benefit applications, or stealing the identity of legal workers in the United States. It may give rise to sex. To combat this, ICE launched the IMAGE program in 2006. To date, 21 Arizona companies are certified IMAGE partners.
As part of the IMAGE program, ICE provides education and training to private companies on proper hiring procedures, including the use of employment screening tools such as E-Verify. IMAGE certified companies also undergo an audit of their current employees’ I-9 forms to ensure they are eligible to work in the United States.
Yuma employers interested in learning more about IMAGE membership should call the Yuma ICE IMAGE Coordinator at 928-341-7737 or visit www.ICE.gov/image.
