Facebook.jpgMichigan recently joined a growing trend of states that have introduced legislation to prohibit employers from asking job applicants and current employees for passwords and other private account information for social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Specifically, State Rep. Aric Nesbitt (Republican) proposed legislation that applies to state and private employers. Mr.

Facebook 2.jpgIncreasingly, employers are asking prospective or current employees to turn over their Facebook passwords in order to review their profiles.  

In response to this increase some states, including California, Illinois, and Maryland, have proposed legislation to ban such conduct. 

Facebook recently interjected its position on this topic when its Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan,

Facebook.jpgOn June 24, 2011, a Florida federal district court dismissed a claim that an employer violated the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) anti-retaliation provision by allegedly firing an employee who expressed her disagreement over the employer’s payment practices on Facebook.

The Plaintiff, Lilli Morse, filed suit against her former employer, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.