California has curbed “robo bosses”: algorithm-based dismissals must be reviewed by a human

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 947, known as the No Robo Bosses Act. From 1 July 2027 the law will prohibit employers from relying solely on automated decision systems (ADS) for disciplinary measures and dismissals. Where a decision is based primarily on their output, it must be verified by a human. The employee must be informed in writing, after the fact, that the system was used.

Among other bills, Newsom also signed SB 951, which adds to mass layoff notices information on whether the layoff is caused by AI, and AB 1883, which restricts the use of workplace surveillance tools to collect neural data or predict employees' emotions. SB 1000 and AB 2713 strengthen the rules on transparency and identification of AI-generated content. SB 574 regulates the use of AI in legal services.