Social Media and Employment Screening

Social media is a new age platform and we are still deciphering the scope, etiquettes, and opportunities of this channel. It is used to stay connected with friends, as a tool for marketing and also for pre-employment background screening. The important factor to keep in mind is that this medium is both private and public and it requires some delicate boundaries.

In one of our earlier blogs, we had covered the topic of how to harness social media and had discussed the important dos and don’ts related to it. One of them was to not ask for a candidate’s social media password. ‘An employer has no right to tread into a candidate’s private life.’ Employers should also keep in mind that web profiles may not be genuine and there are chances of misplaced identities.

According to an article published in the Office of the Governor’s website, earlier in September, the Governor passed a bill prohibiting employers and universities to ask for social media passwords from potential employees. Governor Brown said, “The Golden State is pioneering the social media revolution and these laws will protect all Californians from unwarranted invasions of their personal social media accounts.” According to the Assembly Bill 1844 and Senate Bill 1349 employers and universities are banned from taking any disciplinary action against employers who refuse to divulge their personal password related information.

So long as we tread without stepping into unwanted boundaries, social media is a great tool used by both individuals and organizations alike.