Sens. Bob Casey and Brian Schatz introduce legislation to protect job applicants from bots

Governments and tech executives around the globe have voiced concerns about the negative impacts of generative AI on everyday life. And yet, 83% of employers use automated technology during the hiring process, NPR reported in January.

No robot bosses! On July 20, Sens. Bob Casey and Brian Schatz introduced a bill that would regulate the use of AI in hiring, disciplinary actions, and firing. Called the No Robot Bosses Act (seriously—that’s the name of the legislation), it would require employers to disclose when AI is being used to influence or make talent decisions, according to Casey’s website.

While software is already influencing hiring, thanks to automated tracking systems (ATS) and features that analyze video job interviews, the legislation would bring transparency to the process.

“Right now, there is nothing stopping a corporation from using artificial intelligence to hire, manage, or even fire workers without the involvement of a human being,” Casey said in a press release.

The bill would also prevent employers from making employment decisions based on technology alone, a regulation that a majority of Americans would welcome. Companies would need to task humans with monitoring any technology responsible for making such decisions and conduct regular testing to avoid potential discrimination or bias.

How HR feels. Some HR leaders believe using AI can help reduce hiring discrimination and identify candidates’ soft skills.

“Today’s AI models evaluate candidates just like a recruiter, comparing the full resumé against the job description,” Morgan Llewellyn, chief data scientist at Jobvite, argued in an interview with Yahoo.

But some experts worry that AI can introduce more bias into the hiring and firing processes. For example, EEOC Chairwoman Charlotte Burrows expressed concerns that using AI to assess speech could disqualify disabled applicants.

As HR professionals navigate layoffs on their own teams, they may rely more on AI to streamline various processes—yes, even layoff decisions.

The question remains, though, if they’ll have to notify candidates and employees about their robot colleagues.