Ore. and Wash. bills would ban employers from demanding passwords
SALEM, Ore. – Lawmakers in both Oregon and Washington will consider bills this week that would limit what employers can force employees to do on social media.
The bill in Oregon, known as SB 344, would make it illegal for your boss or prospective boss to force you to become Facebook friends or a Twitter follower.
The measure would also prohibit employers from requiring workers or job applicants to give up access to their social media accounts.
The Associated Press reported last year that some companies and government agencies were going beyond merely glancing at a person's public social media profiles, asking instead to log in as the job applicant and have a look around.
A bill working its way through the Washington Legislature would make it illegal for employers to ask job applicants for their Facebook or other social media passwords.
The bill would also make it illegal for employers to make it a condition of your continued employment.
A public hearing is set for Monday afternoon for the Washington bill, which is currently in a Senate committee. Violators would have to pay employees $500.
Legal experts say gaining access to someone's Facebook or other social media accounts could reveal chronic health conditions, disability, pregnancy, faith, political views, or sexual orientation, which employers are generally not allowed to ask about.
And what about gaining access to your activities or habits? Employers in Illinois have been sued for discriminating against applicants and employees for their use of lawful products, like cigarettes or alcohol.
Maryland is the only state so far that bans employers from asking applicants for their social media logins. But whatever an employer finds out there in the public domain is fair game.
Read more: Recap of 2012 state legislation on social media access
Fair deal .. I agree... I also don't put any of my stuff on social media..Â
I agree with this. Employers and prospective employers have no business in requiring one as a means for employment or continued employment. Of course, why anyone needs myspace or facebook is beyond me.
This isn't already illegal?Â
"83 million Facebook accounts are fakes and dupes"
 http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/tech/social-media/facebook-fake-accounts
Really reliable "tool."
@TimBurr Much like most of their "facts."
I think this is a great idea. I'm fortunate in that my employer doesn't require it. If I ever applied for a job with an employer that did, I'd think twice. What I do on my own private time is none of their business. This is why none of my co-workers are friends on Facebook either.
Why do we need another unenforceable law? No employer has the right to demand personal information beyond that necessary to comply with employment laws and requirements, health and related benefits, etc.Â
And, it really isn't social media. If you look at the vast majority of Facebook posts you will find it is a self-centered, selfish, all about me and what I am doing sort of one-way communication. It is not a vehicle for socialization, effective conversation, or relationship building.Â
@I812 Because I think it's because it's becoming more common for employers to ask for that information.
Don't have a facebook account and you won't have to worry about this!
My mother always told me to never put in writing something you wouldn't want published in a newspaper. Â I know she was right, and I think I did well with that advice, right up until I got a cell phone. Â Now I'd be embarrassed, shamed, in BIG trouble and wouldn't change a thing. Â Some things in life are worth the risk, but I'd never tell my boss about my FB page. Â Well, except that she's a 'friend' on there.Â
I have my Facebook settings to block my boss. That is if they really work. I stil never ever bad mouth my boss or my company on the Internet anywhere.
so if you want to get a co-worker fired, make a fake facebook page dissing the company then show your boss.
Facebooking that your boss is an idiot, for example, doesn't come from smart people.
I have never had a company ask me for any of that information. If they did, I'd refuse. If that excluded me from working there, so be it. If someone is feeling pressured to do so, they should ask "why" and I think the employer should have to fully disclose why - - in writing. I still wouldn't give it to them though. Â
No company needs to be allowed inside your private business.
There are a lot of people out there that no law will protect. Â You see it all the time. Â They can't wait to spill the beans on everything they are doing, have done or will do. Â Then they complain that they get fired, robbed, bullied, etc. Â You can pass a law to make being stupid illegal.Â
Unfortunately corporations equate morality to legality. Â It is sad that they won't do the right thing without being pressured first. Â The law is needed because their actions have brought us to this point.Â
I would never give any potential employer my password just as I wouldn't ask them about their sex life...but even so, I try not to put anything embarrassing on my Facebook page...just in case (plus my Dad views my page.)Â However, if they like cute kitties & puppies they will enjoy my page!!
Creating a law seems like the only option to protect people who DESPERATELY need jobs. It's easy to say now that we would walk out or say "no" to a potential employer if they asked for this...but I can imagine if somebody were in a situation where they were too broke to even pay for their groceries, they might give up this information. That doesn't make it right or okay, but you still have to consider everybody's situation.Â
Good I say!Â
I had a job interview not too long ago and the interviewee indicated that he tried to find me on Facebook and since he couldn't find me, indicated that I was "hiding" something. I walked out immediately. What I do on my own time is my business and nobody else's!
We need a law for this? What's the matter, don't people know how to say 'NO' to someone? Would you even want to work for an employer that asked that question? They should have let the employers reap what they sow. No decent applicants, going out of business, lots of lawsuits.
By creating a law (and in association additional taxpayer costs) you just protected the worst employers who were asking this question.
@Owt_Raged do you understand that this PREVENTS employers from asking for YOUR password to any social account you have -
would you give your boss your password?
Pass this bill. What's next, you want my colonoscopy results? Employers need to stop trying to take over their employees lives. My company will fire me if I rant about them at all, even socially after work at a bar, not just online. I think this is too controlling.Â
@Misanthrope97217Â Whispering here: Â I don't want your colonoscopy results. Â But thanks for offering. Â =)
So references, work history & credit checks aren't good enough anymore?
@TimBurr They've brainwashed the populous into happily turning over those kind of records, but their facebook is off limits. I imagine that too will change.
It is rare for government to do anything worthwhile but his is one of them.
Employers want to control employees in every aspect of their lives but don't want to pay for their off times. Big business and big government need to be watched constantly.
Just another worthless law that employers will easily skirt around. Especially for the applicants - employers can come up with a hundred other reasons why they didn't hire the person.
@wondering ...but it will make great reelection fodder....
"Candidate X helped pass legislation defending against employment discrimination"