New legislation by Senate Democrat aims to address AI-based employment decisions and worker surveillance

Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) unveiled two groundbreaking bills on Thursday that aim to address the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and surveillance technology in workplaces.

The proposed legislation by the Pennsylvania Democrat seeks to prohibit employers from relying solely on AI for employment-related decisions, including hiring, firing, promotions, and disciplinary actions. Additionally, the bills will establish a task force dedicated to examining the implementation of automated decision systems and workplace surveillance.

In a press release, Casey emphasized the need to protect working families from potential misuse and abuse of AI technologies by employers, stating, “As the presence of robot bosses in the workplace becomes more prevalent, we have a responsibility to safeguard workers.”

The No Robot Bosses Act, co-introduced by Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), aims to establish regulations that prevent employers from relying solely on automated decision systems. The bill requires regular testing to detect discrimination and biases within these systems, and it mandates independent human oversight to ensure fair and transparent use of AI.

A summary of the bill shared by Casey’s office highlights potential scenarios where job applicants and employees could be adversely affected by automated decision systems. For example, it raises concerns about recruitment software automatically rejecting qualified candidates due to an employment gap or an algorithm firing an employee without warning for failing to meet certain performance standards.

Additionally, Casey, Schatz, and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Exploitative Workplace Surveillance and Technologies Task Force Act. This bill seeks to establish a task force that will examine the impact of automated decision systems and workplace surveillance.