Privacy Law Library

Employee Online Privacy Act of 2014

Tenn. Employee Online Privacy Act

Employees

Bars employers from requesting or requiring employees or applicants to disclose passwords to personal internet accounts, to add the employer as a contact, or to open a personal account in the employer's presence, and from retaliating when they refuse. Employers may still access employer-provided devices and accounts, investigate specific reports of misconduct or data leaks, monitor their own networks, and view public information.

Where
Tennessee
Citation
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 50-1-1001 to 50-1-1004 (2014 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 826, SB 1808)
Status
In force
In force since
2015-01-01
Enforced by
Not specified in the act
People can sue
No
Penalties
The act states prohibitions but does not create an express penalty, enforcing agency, or private cause of action.
Applies to
  • Employers with one or more employees, including the state and its political subdivisions and their agents
  • Protects employees and job applicants

Practices it requires

  • Do not request or require an employee or applicant to disclose a password to a personal internet account.Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-1003(a)(1)
  • Do not compel an employee or applicant to add the employer to their personal account contacts or to access the account in the employer's presence so the employer can view it.Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-1003(a)(2)-(3)
  • Do not take adverse action, refuse to hire, or penalize an employee or applicant for refusing these requests.Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-1003(a)(4)

Other duties

  • Employers may require credentials for employer-provided devices and accounts, investigate specific information about misconduct or unauthorized transfer of proprietary data, monitor employer devices and networks, and view public information.Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-1003(b)-(c)

Sources

Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.

Unverified: Whether an employee could enforce the act through another statute or common-law claim was not researched.

Research reference, not legal advice.