|
|
Here’s a not-so-radical concept: Bosses should be people, not robots.
Yet, more and more employers are outsourcing their discipline and firing decisions, or even how much they’re going to pay employees, to an algorithm, leaving workers with little or no recourse to dispute their treatment.
Automated Decisions Systems (ADS), powered by machine-learning artificial intelligence (AI), is an emerging technology seeing increasing use in the workplace.
This technology is being used, and abused, by employers in many industries – including rideshare companies, warehouses and hospitals – resulting in workers receiving disparities in pay and wrongful discipline or termination by a computer.
California State Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, has introduced a bill – Senate Bill 7, the “No Robo Bosses Act” – to ban this practice.
SB 7 doesn’t prohibit bosses from using ADS technology. But it does require human oversight of decisions made by that technology. This safeguard ensures that if you are unfairly disciplined or fired, you can appeal that decision to a person. It also prevents errors in the algorithm – such as bias or wrong data – from causing a worker to lose their job.
SB 7 also bans employers from using flawed AI technology such as predictive analysis, programs that evaluate factors such as a worker’s debt history or spending habits to give them a “risk” score. This unproven technology can lead to workers being wrongly disciplined or terminated.
Workers should not be punished for actions they have not done.
Support SB 7, because no worker should be fired by a robot. |
|
|
In Solidarity, Lorena Gonzalez |
|
