No. Your employer does not need to be physically present during your I-9 Verification appointment.

Your employer may designate B. Elise Notary Services to act as its Authorized Representative for purposes of completing Section 2 of Form I-9.

During the appointment, we review the acceptable original documents you choose to present and complete the applicable portion of Form I-9 on behalf of your employer. USCIS allows employers to designate an authorized representative to complete this process. USCIS

Your employer may provide specific instructions, forms, or access to an electronic I-9 system that must be followed during the appointment.

Once the verification is completed, the required information or completed documentation is returned or submitted to the employer according to its instructions.

Form I-9 verification is not a notarization. When completing Form I-9, we are acting as the employer's Authorized Representative, not in our capacity as a Notary Public. USCIS specifically notes that a notary acting as an authorized representative does not notarize Form I-9.