July 1, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Major businesses in South Carolina are being audited by the state's labor agency to determine if they are hiring illegal immigrants.

The State reported Wednesday that the Labor, Licensing and Regulation Department planned to start Wednesday by focusing on businesses that typically hire immigrant workers. Agency spokesman Jim Knight says that construction and landscaping firms will be on the list for audits.

The law applies to companies with 100 or more employees and those that do business with state and local governments.

Knight says the agency has hired 10 investigators to follow complaints against businesses and conduct the reviews.

A new provision in state law that took effect Wednesday requires businesses with 100 or more employees to check the workers' legal status through a federal database.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)