Vermont Enacts Employee Social Network Password Protection Law
Vermont becomes the latest state to enact an employee social network privacy law. The new law prohibits an employer from attempting to gain access to employees’ and applicants’ personal electronic accounts by (1) requesting or requiring disclosure of a user name, password or other log-in information or (2) requesting or requiring an employee take other action to allow the employer access.
It also prohibits an employer from retaliating against or refusing to hire employees and applicants who refuse to disclose their information. The law does permit an employer account access if that information is available to the general public. The law is effective July 1, 2013.
So far in 2013, six other states (Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington) have enacted employee social network password privacy laws. Four other states (California, Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan) enacted similar employee privacy laws in 2012.