I-9 and Wage-Hour Audit Kit

Review your I-9 files and exempt classifications with a structured audit process. The kit includes a 23-point I-9 file review using the ICE error categories from the 16 March 2026 fact sheet, the 2026 salary-floor check, the duties test, and guidance on when to bring in counsel.

Five working files for a documented, defensible audit

Start with the guide, then use one workbook to grade every I-9 and another to test every exempt position. Two quick checkers handle single cases. All five working files support the same audit.

• Start Here. A two-page guide showing how the two workbooks and the checkers fit together, with the order to use them.
• I-9 Audit Kit. Review each employee's form and grade it complete, technical, or substantive. Includes a documentation log for every fix, a counsel-ready audit summary, and ICE error benchmarks updated for the 16 March 2026 fact sheet. Opens on a worked example and works in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Wage and Hour Classification Kit. Review each position against the 2026 federal and state salary floors and the three-part exemption test (salary basis, salary level, duties). Includes a reclassification plan and documentation log. Works in Excel or Google Sheets.
• I-9 Audit Calculator and Wage and Hour Classification Calculator. Two single-case screens that open in any browser. Review one employee's I-9 or one position's exemption before starting the full audit. Both run locally and upload nothing.

The eight-file download also includes the Product License, a short guide to using the workbooks in Google Sheets, and a one-page Quick Reference for the I-9 workbook.

How to work through the audit

Start with the I-9 forms, then review exempt classifications. Record every correction in the appropriate log. The workbooks grade and organize the findings; counsel makes the legal calls.

• Review the I-9 files. Add every active employee to the I-9 Tracker and grade each form against the Benchmarks tab: complete, technical, or substantive. The March 2026 ICE fact sheet reclassified a long list of formerly technical errors as substantive, making the updated categories especially important.
• Compare salaries with the 2026 thresholds. In State Thresholds, check every exempt salary against the 2026 federal and state numbers and apply the higher floor. The federal threshold held at $684 a week after the 2024 increase was vacated and rescinded; six states have thresholds well above it.
• Assess the duties behind each title. Use Position Audit to run the three-part test for every exempt role: salary basis, salary level, duties. A manager title with no exempt duties fails. The workbook requires you to document why each position passes.
• Document findings and review corrections with counsel. Move findings to the Audit Summary and the Reclassification Plan. Have counsel review corrections and any back pay, then date every fix in the Documentation Log. The dated record provides evidence of good faith.

Who it is built for

Built for

• An owner or lean HR team reviewing an I-9 binder for the first time and establishing a clear record of what is in it.
• An HR lead reviewing exempt roles paid near the old salary floors and checking the 2026 thresholds position by position.
• A consultant or fractional HR lead organizing compliance records ahead of a sale, an audit, or a funding round.

If you are looking for

• For state-by-state pay-range posting and disclosure rules, see the US State Pay Transparency Pack. This kit focuses on classification.
• For Canada, start with the Ontario Job Posting Transparency Pack. This kit covers US federal and state rules.

Before you buy

What format are the files and can I edit them?

Two Excel workbooks, a Start Here PDF, and two web calculators that open in any browser. The workbooks work in Excel or Google Sheets. The Excel files are editable. The calculators run locally and upload nothing.

What changed in the March 2026 ICE fact sheet?

ICE updated its Form I-9 inspection fact sheet on 16 March 2026. A long list of errors previously classified as technical, with a cure window, now count as substantive, with fines of $288 to $2,861 per form and no cure period. The Benchmarks tab explains the March 2026 categories in plain language and flags the reclassified errors.

Which 2026 salary thresholds are included?

The federal floor is $684 a week ($35,568 a year), following the court decision vacating the 2024 increase and the Department of Labor's formal rescission in May 2026. The State Thresholds tab lists the higher 2026 state floors and their effective dates. Each workbook shows its review date on the Start Here tab so you can see when the figures were checked.

Does it cover my state?

The salary-floor table lists the federal baseline and the six states with higher 2026 floors. For everyone else, the rule is to apply the higher of the federal or state number. Duties tests and overtime rules also vary by state, so the workbook prompts you to confirm the rules where you operate.

Does the I-9 audit cover remote employees?

Yes. Remote verification failure is one of the substantive categories in the tracker: where documents were examined remotely, the audit checks that the alternative-procedure box and the E-Verify status are documented on the form.

How do I know when it was last checked?

Each file shows its review date. State salary floors reset every January (Alaska in July), so review the thresholds again each year.

What is the refund policy?

Digital products are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. To request a refund, email support@truestephr.com or reply to your receipt within 30 days of purchase.

What happens after I buy?

Your download link appears immediately after checkout. Your receipt arrives by email with the same link. Open the Start Here page first for the recommended order. For setup questions, email support@truestephr.com.

How the download works

Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer. Save it, extract it (right-click and select Extract All on Windows, or double-click on a Mac), then open the Start Here file first. PDFs open in any reader, and editable files work in Microsoft Excel or free equivalents, including LibreOffice and Google Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.

Scope

These working tools and editable templates help you run a clear, consistent, and defensible HR process. Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time, so adapt each template to the facts of your situation to avoid unintended legal exposure. Have qualified counsel review your policies, notices, and individual decisions against applicable law before you act. General HR information, not legal advice.