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ARTICLE · 14 SEPTEMBER 2026

Legislation Limits AI Use In California Workplace Decisions

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California lawmakers have advanced legislation that would prohibit employers from using automated systems as the sole basis for terminating or disciplining workers. The bill, which awaits the governor's signature, represents one of the most comprehensive state-level attempts to regulate AI in workforce management, requiring human oversight of algorithmic decisions and mandating transparency about which digital tools influence employment outcomes.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Prashanthi Manoharan
Prashanthi Manoharan
John F. Kuenstler
John F. Kuenstler
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New legislation targeting the role of artificial intelligence in workforce management is headed to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

Under SB 947, employers operating in California would be prohibited from allowing automated systems to serve as the sole basis for terminating or penalizing employees. Where such technology plays a significant role in disciplinary outcomes, the measure mandates that a human decision-maker independently evaluate the situation before any adverse action takes effect. Workers subject to these processes would also gain the right to be informed about which digital tools contributed to the decision and what personal information factored into the analysis.

SB 947 is essentially a repackaged version of the “No Robo Bosses Act” that ultimately failed to gain executive approval during the 2025 legislative session. This new legislation is restructured to address the concerns that led to Newsom's earlier rejection, and the revised text cleared both chambers of the

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