BY CHRISTOPHER RIGHTMIRE

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The New Jersey Assembly passed two bills Monday to protect students’ and employees’ usernames and password information for social media and electric communication websites from their employers and institutions of higher learning.

According to the New Jersey Assembly’s website, the employee-related bill, A2878, prohibits employers from asking prospective or current employees for access information to any electronic communications site.

Companies will be fined $1,000 for their first offense and $2,500 for each subsequent offense, as reported by NJ.com. Also, employees have the right to sue.

The student-related bill, A2879, prohibits institutions of higher learning from asking for access information for any perspective or current student. There is no set fine for offences, according to the Assembly’s website.

The employee-related bill passed 77-0 and the student-related bill passed 75-0.