
The owners of Town & Country Resources tell TMZ that when Nicky filled out the standard candidate questionnaire, she "indicated she was legally able to work in the United States" ... even though Nicky knew she was in the country illegally.
T&CR add ... "Further, Nicky provided us and our client with the documents that our client would need to complete the I-9 form as was their legal obligation as an employer."
The company owners -- who claim they only took over in 2008 and had no part in referring Nicky -- claim the policy has changed in the past few years ... and potential workers must undergo "a rigorous background check, verified by a third party."












