ALBANY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A new amendment to the New York Labor Law set to be put in effect March 12 will prohibit employers from requesting or requiring the login credentials of employees’ social media accounts.
According to Tully Rinckey PLLC, the law will also prevent employers from retaliating against employees or job applicants who refuse to do so.
Over 20 states have adopted this legislation including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.
“This law comes with caveats that New York State employers need to be aware of,” said Tully Rinckey Managing Partner Allen Shoikhetbrod. “As an example, the law notes that employers may access devices paid for in whole or in part by the employer—but that access must be known to the employee in advance. Employers and employees should be advised and review their rights when it comes to this new legislation.”
Employers may continue to view information on an individual’s personal social media account that is publicly available.
What will this new amendment do?
For those interested in the details of the new amendment, Tully Rinckey’s Jared Cook, a Senior Counsel in the Rochester office, has provided legal insight on the new law.
