{"article":{"slug":"california-sb-947-no-robo-bosses","kind":"rule","source":{"title":"SB-947 Employment: automated decision systems (Chapter 859)","url":"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB947","date":"2026-09-30"},"headline":"No Robo Bosses starts July 2027, with separate rules for sole and primary reliance","whatChanged":"Governor Newsom signed SB 947 on September 30. It takes effect January 1, 2027, with workplace requirements starting July 1, 2027. Employers will not be allowed to rely solely on automated decision systems for firing or discipline. Primary reliance requires human corroboration and separate written notice when the worker is informed of the decision. Workers can request a description of their own data used. The law includes qualifying collective-bargaining and limited federal-compliance exceptions, and excludes certain tools from its automated-system definition.","whyItMatters":"A company with California employees should check how performance ratings, attendance flags, and termination recommendations feed decisions. The distinction matters: sole reliance is prohibited, while primary reliance triggers corroboration and notice. Occasional assistance does not automatically trigger those same provisions. Before July, HR can identify who reviews qualifying output and draft the required stand-alone notice. Counsel should check the statutory definitions and exceptions against the actual workflow rather than assuming all workplace software is covered.","issuer":"California Governor","glance":"Newsom signed SB 947 on September 30; its California workplace automated-decision requirements start July 1, 2027.","status":"enacted","action":"List the software that feeds firing or discipline decisions and name who reviews its output.","companyLabel":"Public edition"},"issue":{"id":"2026-10-05","publishedLabel":"Week of October 5, 2026","isLatest":true},"position":{"index":5,"total":6},"next":{"slug":"ftc-ai-labs-probe-reported","headline":"The FTC reportedly plans formal demands to OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI labs"},"session":null}