An Act To Clarify the Law Protecting Job Applicants from Identity Theft

Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §598-A,  as enacted by PL 2019, c. 47, §1, is amended to read:

§ 598-A. Prospective employee's social security number

Beginning Except as required by federal law, beginning January 1, 2020, an employer may not request a social security number from a prospective employee on an employment application or during the application process for employment except for the purposes of substance abuse use testing under subchapter 3-A or a preemployment background check. This section does not apply to an employer's request for a social security number after the employee has been hired.

summary

Current law prohibits an employer from requesting the social security number of a prospective employee. This bill provides an exception to the prohibition when the employer is required to request the social security number by federal law.