S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2131
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 22, 2019
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Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to electronic mail
monitoring of employees
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section
52-b to read as follows:
§ 52-B. EMPLOYERS ENGAGED IN ELECTRONIC MONITORING; PRIOR NOTICE
REQUIRED. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, EMPLOYER MEANS ANY INDIVID-
UAL, CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, FIRM, OR ASSOCIATION WITH A PLACE OF
BUSINESS IN THE STATE.
2. (A) ANY EMPLOYER WHO MONITORS OR OTHERWISE INTERCEPTS ELECTRONIC
MAIL OR TRANSMISSIONS, BY AN EMPLOYEE BY ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR
SYSTEM, SHALL GIVE PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE UPON HIRING TO ALL EMPLOYEES WHO
ARE SUBJECT TO ELECTRONIC MAIL MONITORING. THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY THIS
SUBDIVISION SHALL BE IN WRITING, IN AN ELECTRONIC RECORD, OR IN ANOTHER
ELECTRONIC FORM AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE EMPLOYEE EITHER IN WRITING OR
ELECTRONICALLY.
(B) FOR PURPOSES OF WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED BY PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS
SUBDIVISION, AN EMPLOYEE SHALL BE ADVISED THAT ANY AND ALL ELECTRONIC
MAIL OR TRANSMISSIONS BY AN EMPLOYEE BY ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR SYSTEM,
MAY BE SUBJECT TO MONITORING AT ANY AND ALL TIMES AND BY ANY LAWFUL
MEANS.
3. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
ANY EMPLOYER FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT
TO A MAXIMUM CIVIL PENALTY OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH OFFENSE.
4. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO PROCESSES THAT
ARE DESIGNED TO MANAGE THE TYPE OR VOLUME OF INCOMING OR OUTGOING ELEC-
TRONIC MAIL THAT ARE NOT TARGETED TO MONITOR OR INTERCEPT THE ELECTRONIC
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07098-01-9
S. 2131 2
MAIL OF A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL, AND THAT ARE PERFORMED SOLELY FOR THE
PURPOSE OF COMPUTER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND/OR PROTECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.