N.J. lawmaker aims to stop employers from asking for access to applicants’ social media

A New Jersey lawmaker wants to prevent employers from demanding social media login information from job applicants.

Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, intends to introduce legislation that would prohibit private businesses from requiring a prospective employee to provide a user name or password to access their personal social media account.

“Jobs are precious at the moment,” Burzichelli said. “We likely have people in New Jersey — this question may be being asked of them — so desperate for a job they may be saying things and doing things that they otherwise wouldn’t, if they were so desperate to be employed. So the law has to catch up.”

Burzichelli says exemptions would be allowed so employers could get that information about applicants for law enforcement or security jobs.

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He also wants to prevent colleges from demanding personal social media site information from students.

Violators would face fines up to $2,500.

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