Employee photographs and fingerprints furnished to third parties
Lab. Code 1051
Employees · Biometric
Makes it a misdemeanor to require employees or applicants, as a condition of employment, to be photographed or fingerprinted for the purpose of furnishing the images or prints to another employer or third party where they could be used to the worker's detriment. Often cited in biometric timekeeping cases.
- Where
- California
- Citation
- Cal. Lab. Code 1051
- Status
- In force
- Last amended
- 1987-01-01
- Enforced by
- Local prosecutors
- People can sue
- No
- Penalties
- Misdemeanor.
- Applies to
- Any person or agent requiring employees or applicants to be photographed or fingerprinted
Practices it requires
- Do not require employees or applicants to be photographed or fingerprinted so that the photos, fingerprints, or related information can be furnished to another employer or third party to their detriment (Section 1057 exception).Cal. Lab. Code 1051
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: last_amended date approximated to Jan. 1, 1987 from 'Stats. 1987, Ch. 77'; exact effective date not shown. | Original enactment date not determined.
Research reference, not legal advice.