Alabama lawmakers may ban microchipping workers

The Alabama Legislature may soon consider a ban on mandatory microchipping of employees. This comes as sponsors of the bill know of no businesses in the state that do this. If passed this legislative session, “House Bill 4” would make it illegal and a Class D felony for employers to require implanted microchips in their employees. Alabama employers don’t currently require the implanted tech. But similar legislation has been catching support in several other states. The conservative website “The Hill” quotes a European study in 2021 where fifty one percent of the approximately 2,000 respondents said they would consider getting a chip implant to pay for goods and services. This technology appears especially popular in Sweden as a substitute for using cash. NPR reports only 1 in 4 people living in Sweden use cash at least once a week. More than four thousand Swedes have replaced keycards for chip implants to use for gym access, railway e-tickets, and emergency personal information. Proponents say the technology might help people with medical issues like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or other conditions do things like unlock doors. Still, supporters of this kind of legislation say it’s due to potential privacy concerns and religious objections. Employers are banned from requiring device implants in at least ten states, according to Bloomberg Law data. The microchipping bill has only been pre-filed in Alabama. But it could appear on the House floor in the coming weeks.