2015 SESSION ENROLLED 1 VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––CHAPTER 2 An Act to amen d the Code of Vi rginia by addi ng in Ar ti cl e 1 of Ch apter 3 of Ti tl e 40.1 a sect ion 3 numb ered 40.1-28. 7:5 , rel ati ng to pro hib itions on an emp loy er's req uir ing emp loy ees to dis clo se 4 user names or pass word s for so cial me dia ac count s; acces s to soci al medi a accou nt. 5 [H 2081] 6 Approved 7 Be it enacted by the General As sembly of Vi rginia: 8 1. That the Co de of Vi rgin ia is amende d by addin g in Ar ti cle 1 of Chapt er 3 of Title 40.1 a 9 sect ion numbered 40. 1-28.7:5 as follows: 10 § 40.1- 28.7:5. Social media accounts of current and prospective employees. 11 A. As used in this secti on: 12 "Emp loyer " inclu des, in add itio n to the perso ns enumerat ed in the defi nitio n of employ er in § 40.1 -2, 13 (i) any uni t of state or loc al gover nme nt and (ii ) any agen t, repres ent ati ve, or des ign ee of a person or14 unit of government that const itut es an emplo yer. 15 "Social media ac count " means a pers onal acc ount wi th an electr onic me dium or ser vice whe re users 16 may crea te, share, or view user-gener ated cont ent, incl udin g, with out limi tati on, video s, phot ogra phs, 17 blo gs, pod cas ts, mes sag es, ema ils , or website pro fil es or locations. "Social med ia acc ount" doe s not18 incl ude an account (i ) opened by an empl oyee at the request of an empl oyer ; (i i) pr ov ided to an 19 emp loy ee by an emplo yer such as the empl oye r's ema il acc oun t or oth er sof tware pro gra m owned or20 ope rat ed exclusiv ely by an emplo yer ; (ii i) set up by an emp loy ee on beh alf of an emp loy er; or (iv ) set21 up by an empl oy ee to impe rsonat e an empl oy er through the us e of the empl oy er's name, logos, or22 trademarks. 23 B. An employe r sha ll not requi re a current or pro spect ive employe e to: 24 1. Di sc lose the username and password to the current or pros pe ct ive empl oyee 's soci al media 25 accou nt; or26 2. Add an emplo yee, sup ervis or, or admi nistrato r to the list of cont acts ass ociat ed with th e current27 or prospective employee's social media account. 28 C. If an empl oye r inadve rte ntl y rece ive s an empl oye e's username and password to, or oth er log in 29 information associated w ith, the empl oyee 's social media account through the use of an electronic device 30 pr ovided to the empl oy ee by the empl oyer or a pr ogram that moni tors an empl oyer's net work, the 31 emplo yer shall not be liabl e for having the information but shal l not use the informat ion to gain access 32 to a n employe e's social media account. 33 D. An emplo yer shal l not: 34 1. Take actio n agains t or threat en to disch arge, di scipl ine, or otherwis e penali ze a current employe e 35 for exerci sing his rig hts unde r this sectio n; or36 2. Fail or ref use to hire a prospective employee f or exerci sing hi s right s under th is section. 37 E. This sect ion does not pr ohibit an empl oy er fr om vi ewing informat ion about a current or38 pros pecti ve employee that is publicly avail able. 39 F. Noth ing in this secti on: 40 1. Preven ts an empl oyer fr om compl ying wi th the requi remen ts of fede ral, sta te, or local la ws, rul es, 41 or regula tion s or the rule s or regulati ons of self-regulatory organizations; or42 2. Aff ects an e mployer's existi ng ri ghts or obli gati ons to reques t an empl oy ee to di sc lose hi s 43 use rna me and pass word for the pur pos e of acc ess ing a soc ial medi a acc ount if the emplo yee 's soc ial 44 medi a ac count acti vi ty is re asonably beli eved to be re levant to a formal invest igat ion or relate d45 proce edin g by the employ er of alle gati ons of an emplo yee 's violation of federal, state, or local laws or46 regulati ons or of the empl oy er's wr it te n poli ci es. If an empl oy er exerci ses it s ri ghts unde r this 47 subd ivisi on, the employee's username and pass wor d sha ll onl y be use d for the pur pos e of the forma l 48 investigation or a related proceeding. N O D H 2081ER
2 An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of
Chapter 3 of Title 40.1 a section3 numbered 40.1-28.7:5, relating
to prohibitions on an employer's requiring employees to disclose4
usernames or passwords for social media accounts; access to social
media account.
5 [H 2081]6 Approved
7 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:8 1. That
the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 3
of Title 40.1 a9 section numbered 40.1-28.7:5 as follows:
10 40.1-28.7:5. Social media accounts of current and prospective
employees.11 A. As used in this section:12 "Employer" includes, in
addition to the persons enumerated in the definition of employer in
40.1-2,13 (i) any unit of state or local government and (ii) any
agent, representative, or designee of a person or14 unit of
government that constitutes an employer.15 "Social media account"
means a personal account with an electronic medium or service where
users16 may create, share, or view user-generated content,
including, without limitation, videos, photographs,17 blogs,
podcasts, messages, emails, or website profiles or locations.
"Social media account" does not18 include an account (i) opened by
an employee at the request of an employer; (ii) provided to an19
employee by an employer such as the employer's email account or
other software program owned or20 operated exclusively by an
employer; (iii) set up by an employee on behalf of an employer; or
(iv) set21 up by an employee to impersonate an employer through the
use of the employer's name, logos, or22 trademarks.23 B. An
employer shall not require a current or prospective employee to:24
1. Disclose the username and password to the current or prospective
employee's social media25 account; or26 2. Add an employee,
supervisor, or administrator to the list of contacts associated
with the current27 or prospective employee's social media
account.28 C. If an employer inadvertently receives an employee's
username and password to, or other login29 information associated
with, the employee's social media account through the use of an
electronic device30 provided to the employee by the employer or a
program that monitors an employer's network, the31 employer shall
not be liable for having the information but shall not use the
information to gain access32 to an employee's social media
account.33 D. An employer shall not:34 1. Take action against or
threaten to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize a current
employee35 for exercising his rights under this section; or36 2.
Fail or refuse to hire a prospective employee for exercising his
rights under this section.37 E. This section does not prohibit an
employer from viewing information about a current or38 prospective
employee that is publicly available.39 F. Nothing in this
section:40 1. Prevents an employer from complying with the
requirements of federal, state, or local laws, rules,41 or
regulations or the rules or regulations of self-regulatory
organizations; or42 2. Affects an employer's existing rights or
obligations to request an employee to disclose his43 username and
password for the purpose of accessing a social media account if the
employee's social44 media account activity is reasonably believed
to be relevant to a formal investigation or related45 proceeding by
the employer of allegations of an employee's violation of federal,
state, or local laws or46 regulations or of the employer's written
policies. If an employer exercises its rights under this47
subdivision, the employee's username and password shall only be
used for the purpose of the formal48 investigation or a related
proceeding.
