Effective as of October 15, 2015, employers in Maine will be restricted in their ability to access the personal social media accounts of applicants and employees. Employers may not terminate, discipline or otherwise take adverse action against an employee, or reject an applicant, due to the employee’s or applicant’s refusal to cooperate with any prohibited request or demand. An employer who violates these prohibitions can be fined by Maine’s Department of Labor. The law provides that such fines will be not less than $100 for the first violation, not less than $250 for the second violation and not less than $500 for each subsequent violation. Maine is the twenty-third state to place restrictions on employers’ access to applicants’ and employees’ personal social media accounts.
Maine Enacts Social Media Protections for Applicants and Employees
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