INDUSTRY NEWS
Maine enacts law to protect applicants’ and employees’ social media privacy
The law, which will go into effect on October 15, 2015, applies to all employers, both public and private.
Among the restrictions placed on employers is the prohibition of requiring, coercing or requesting applicant’s or employee’s to disclose a personal social media account. Furthermore, employers cannot discharge, discipline or penalize an existing employee, or refuse to hire an applicant based off of their refusal to disclose or provide access to information pertaining to a social media account.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, since 2012, over 20 states have enacted social media privacy laws that pertain to employers.
The full text of the law, which includes the comprehensive list of all the restrictions placed on employers, can be found here.
Source: Maine State Legislature, 7/12/2015; National Conference of State Legislatures, 6/12/2015