NY Employers Can’t Seek Workers’ Social Media IDs Under New Law

New Yorkers now have the right to keep their social media accounts private from employers under legislation (A. 836) signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) Thursday.

Companies can’t “request, require or coerce any employee or applicant” to divulge passwords, usernames, and other details on the new law, which takes effect in 180 days, according to the legislative language. Its approval makes New York the latest state to restrict employers’ access to the details of workers’ online presence.

“Employers should not be able to demand that information,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D), who first introduced the bill in ...