Bill Text: CA AB1844 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Enrolled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Employer use of social media.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-1)

Status: (Passed) 2012-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 618, Statutes of 2012. [AB1844 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB1844-Enrolled.html

---

BILL NUMBER: AB 1844	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 28, 2012
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 29, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 20, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 2, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 26, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 17, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Campos
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Yee)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Allen, Gordon, Roger
Hernández, Hueso, Lara, Perea, Portantino, Wagner, Wieckowski, and
Yamada)

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2012

   An act to add Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 980) to Part 3
of Division 2 of the Labor Code, relating to employment.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1844, Campos. Employer use of social media.
   Existing law generally regulates the conduct of employers in the
state.
   This bill would prohibit an employer from requiring or requesting
an employee or applicant for employment to disclose a username or
password for the purpose of accessing personal social media, to
access personal social media in the presence of the employer, or to
divulge any personal social media. This bill would also prohibit an
employer from discharging, disciplining, threatening to discharge or
discipline, or otherwise retaliating against an employee or applicant
for not complying with a request or demand by the employer that
violates these provisions.
   Under existing law, the Labor Commissioner, who is the Chief of
the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement in the Department of
Industrial Relations, is required to establish and maintain a field
enforcement unit to investigate specified violations of the Labor
Code and other labor laws and to enforce minimum labor standards.
Existing law authorizes, and under specified circumstances requires,
the Labor Commissioner to investigate employee complaints of
violations of the Labor Code, provide for a hearing, and determine
all matters arising under his or her jurisdiction.
   This bill would provide that the Labor Commissioner is not
required to investigate or determine any violation of a provision of
this bill.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 980) is added to
Part 3 of Division 2 of the Labor Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 2.5.  EMPLOYER USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA


   980.  (a) As used in this chapter, "social media" means an
electronic service or account, or electronic content, including, but
not limited to, videos, still photographs, blogs, video blogs,
podcasts, instant and text messages, email, online services or
accounts, or Internet Web site profiles or locations.
   (b) An employer shall not require or request an employee or
applicant for employment to do any of the following:
   (1) Disclose a username or password for the purpose of accessing
personal social media.
   (2) Access personal social media in the presence of the employer.
   (3) Divulge any personal social media, except as provided in
subdivision (c).
   (c) Nothing in this section shall affect an employer's existing
rights and obligations to request an employee to divulge personal
social media reasonably believed to be relevant to an investigation
of allegations of employee misconduct or employee violation of
applicable laws and regulations, provided that the social media is
used solely for purposes of that investigation or a related
proceeding.
   (d) Nothing in this section precludes an employer from requiring
or requesting an employee to disclose a username, password, or other
method for the purpose of accessing an employer-issued electronic
device.
   (e) An employer shall not discharge, discipline, threaten to
discharge or discipline, or otherwise retaliate against an employee
or applicant for not complying with a request or demand by the
employer that violates this section. However, this section does not
prohibit an employer from terminating or otherwise taking an adverse
action against an employee or applicant if otherwise permitted by
law.
  SEC. 2.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Labor
Commissioner, who is Chief of the Division of Labor Standards
Enforcement, is not required to investigate or determine any
violation of this act.