On August 19, 2013, the New Jersey Senate passed – by a vote of 36 to 0 – a revised bill barring employers from seeking access to employees’ social media accounts. The bill was previously approved by the New Jersey Assembly on May 20, 2013, as discussed in a prior post on this blog.
A prior version of the bill also passed both houses but was conditionally vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie, who expressed concerns about some of the bill’s employee-friendly provisions. Among Christie’s recommended changes was the removal of a private cause of action by employees.
The bill now awaits Christie’s signature. Though the legislature adopted all of the Governor’s recommendations, it remains to be seen whether Christie has additional concerns about the new law.