Can Your Employer Force You to Give Access to Your LinkedIn Contacts?

Can you be forced to divulge your LinkedIn contacts to your employer so that they can collect information on potential job prospectives? These so-called "LinkedIn parties" are being used by employers, but unsurprisingly, employees aren't too happy about it. 

It's a trend that's happening in the technology sector and it's slowly seeping into the legal sector. Beyond never giving your employer direct access to your LinkedIn account, what protections do you have if you're approached by your employer? 

Social media restrictions fall under state law, with at least 22 states having some employee protection laws. So check your state law, as well as any non-compete agreements or other contractual restrictions you might have with a previous law firm or other employer.

Read Allen Smith, J.D.'s article, "Are LinkedIn Parties Legal?: The events seek to collect social media referrals from employees, but some workers are balking," in SHRM's HR Magazine.