California: AI can no longer fire or discipline staff on its own

Governor Newsom signed SB 947, the No Robo Bosses Act. California employers may not rely only on an automated system to discipline or fire someone, and a person must check the system's finding first. A second law, SB 951, says workers must be told when AI is the reason for mass layoffs. He vetoed an earlier version of the bill in 2025.

• If you use software that scores staff, such as productivity trackers or rota tools, write down where a person reviews its output before any warning or dismissal.
• Keep a short note of why each disciplinary decision was made, in your own words, separate from what the tool said.

Source: Office of the Governor of California. This is our short summary of their reporting. The paragraphs marked "Our read" and the things to do are SeedFoundry's opinion. The summary is drafted with AI tools. Image: Office of the Governor of California, from its own announcement. How we source and credit