Companies reopening their offices and facilities will be collecting sensitive personal and health information about their employees (as well as about customers, vendors, and other visitors) to track COVID-19 symptoms. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) typically places strict limits on the collection, use, and disclosure of health information about employees, the ongoing pandemic has prompted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to permit the widespread gathering of health information in the workplace in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Continue Reading Coronavirus Tracking Programs Need to Comply with Privacy Laws

The New Hampshire Legislature passed HB 1407 which will prohibit employers from obtaining an employee’s personal social media account user name and password. The bill passed both the House and the Senate. The governor is expected to sign it into law.

This bill applies to both employees and prospective employees for employment. Employers found to

Employers frequently access and review data created or stored by employees on company-owned electronic devices, such as computers, laptops, tablets (iPad), and cellphones (iPhone, Droid and Blackberry).  Well-crafted technology and social media policies specifically authorize employers to do so.  But, if not careful, employers can step over the line between permissible conduct and conduct that

In our evolving technological world, more and more people are using social media for building both work and personal connections. This has presented a conflict in the workplace between a company’s need to protect its business interests and an employee’s concern with privacy.  States have been wading into these waters with legislation limiting or prohibiting