The Colorado House of Representatives has introduced a bill which would prohibit an employer from requiring an employee or applicant for employment to disclose a user name, password, or other means for accessing a personal account or service through an electronic communications device (the bill does not cover access to nonpersonal accounts or services that provide access to the employer's internal computer or information systems). The bill also prohibits an employer from discharging, disciplining, penalizing, or refusing to hire an employee or applicant who does not provide access to personal accounts or services, though an employer may investigate an employee to ensure compliance with securities or financial law or for suspected unauthorized downloading of proprietary information based on the receipt of information about these activities. While this bill does not involve a workers’ compensation issue, if passed it would protect all employees in the state, so it may be something of interest to any reader. House Bill 13-1046 can be found here.
