California No Robo Bosses Act bans AI-only worker firings

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday barring employers from relying solely on artificial intelligence when deciding to fire or discipline workers, making California the first state in the nation to enact such a restriction.

The law, SB 947 — known as the No Robo Bosses Act of 2026 — prohibits employers from relying exclusively on automated decision-making systems in termination and disciplinary decisions. When AI is the primary basis for such a decision, employers must now have a human reviewer corroborate it using additional information, such as managerial evaluations, peer reviews, or personnel files. Workers subject to such decisions must also be told in writing that AI played a primary role, informed of what personal data the system drew on, and given the name of a human contact who can walk them through the outcome, according to CNBC. The law will be enforced by the California labor commissioner, the state attorney general, or local prosecutors.

"No worker should ever be fired or disciplined by a robo boss. Artificial intelligence systems have the potential to increase productivity, but they've also been prone to errors, bias, and misjudgments," said state Sen. Jerry McNerney, the bill's author, in a statement. "AI must remain a tool controlled by humans, not the other way around."

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