The Tennessee Labor Department is asking employers in the state to begin complying with the new rules for using the federal E-Verify program to ensure that they hire workers who are in the United States legally.

Under the Lawful Employment Act, signed by Gov. Bill Haslam in June, starting on Jan. 1 companies must verify the legality of their new employees using federal online databases or by requesting that certain documents be presented.

Such documents include a Tennessee driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, U.S. naturalization certificate, residence card or other I.D. issued by the federal government.