SEATTLE (AP) — A Washington state senator has introduced a bill barring employers from asking for an applicant’s Facebook password during a job interview.
Democratic Sen. Steve Hobbs of Lake Stevens filed the bill Wednesday, saying that “as a society, we are more connected than ever, but that doesn’t mean that employers have a right to read your email or drop by to take a look around your house.”
The Associated Press reported recently that some private and public agencies around the country are asking job seekers for their social media credentials. The practice has alarmed privacy advocates, but the legality of it remains murky.
Two U.S. senators have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to review the legality of the matter.
Maryland, Illinois and California have introduced measures similar to Hobb’s, although two of those states focus on public agencies only.
