No Robot Bosses Act

Bill Number

S. 4833

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Last Updated

2026-07-08T04:08:19Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation The No Robot Bosses Act (S. 4833) seeks to limit the predominant use of automated decision systems by employers in work-related decisions. It aims to protect workers' rights, prevent discrimination and disparate impacts, ensure transparency through disclosures, require evaluations and assessments, and preserve human oversight in employment decisions.

Key Provisions Outlined

• Definitions: Establishes terms including automated decision system (systems using computation for predictions, scores, or decisions, excluding passive infrastructure), covered individual (employees and applicants), work-related decision (hiring, firing, scheduling, etc.), adverse work action, protected characteristic (covering race, sex, disability, and other traits), and disparate impact (unjustified differential effects).
• Restrictions on Use (Section 3): Employers may not rely predominantly on automated systems for work-related decisions or use them to violate labor, safety, or civil rights laws. Requires detailed disclosures to individuals about system use, data inputs, outputs, and appeal processes, with specific timing rules (e.g., prior to decisions or 7 days before adverse actions). Allows opt-outs for human management or screening.
• Evaluations and Assessments (Section 4): Developers and employers must conduct predeployment evaluations detailing system design, testing, risks to rights, and potential discrimination. Employers must perform annual impact assessments on deployed systems, including effects on privacy, safety, and economic outcomes. Developers review employer assessments. Summaries must be submitted to the Fairness and Transparency Office and published (with redactions for trade secrets and personal data).
• Standards (Section 5): Requires mitigation of identified risks, stakeholder consultation, and certification that systems are unlikely to harm workers' rights. Limits "off-label" uses without assuming developer responsibilities.
• Administration (Section 6): Creates the Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, led by a presidentially appointed Director, with advisory boards and authority for rulemaking.
• Enforcement (Section 9): Grants the Secretary of Labor investigative powers; provides private right of action for individuals and labor organizations with statutory damages ($5,000–$100,000 range, adjusted for inflation); allows state attorneys general and privacy regulators to sue; prohibits predispute arbitration agreements and class-action waivers for violations.
• Other: Includes whistleblower protections (Section 8), coordination requirements (Section 10), non-preemption of other laws (Section 11), collective bargaining safeguards (Section 12), severability (Section 13), and $100 million annual appropriations for 2027–2036 (Section 14).

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

• Introduces comprehensive federal regulation of automated decision systems in employment, including mandatory evaluations, disclosures, and impact assessments not previously required.
• Establishes a new Fairness and Transparency Office with rulemaking and enforcement authority.
• Invalidates predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers for covered violations, expanding access to courts.
• Waives sovereign immunity for states and tribal governments receiving federal funds in certain enforcement contexts.
• Extends protections and procedures to congressional, executive, and certain federal employees through adapted regulations.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Creates oversight responsibilities for the Department of Labor; requires coordination with agencies like the EEOC, FTC, and NLRB; imposes reporting and investigation duties.
• Citizens: Increases transparency and opt-out options for workers and applicants; may reduce algorithmic bias or errors but could raise employer compliance costs, potentially affecting hiring and management practices.
• International Relations: No direct provisions; however, standards on AI use in employment could indirectly influence global discussions on technology and labor rights.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Employers (including those using or developing systems) and covered individuals (employees and applicants).
• Labor organizations and worker advocacy groups.
• Developers of automated decision systems.
• Federal agencies (DOL, EEOC, NLRB) and state attorneys general/privacy regulators.
• Government entities, including GAO, Library of Congress, and tribal governments.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Expands private enforcement and state authority while preserving collective bargaining agreements that offer stronger protections.
• Constitutional: Includes explicit waivers of sovereign immunity tied to federal funding receipt.
• Political: Emphasizes worker privacy, autonomy, and protection from automated systems, with requirements for stakeholder input and risk mitigation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

Cosponsors (6)

Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
• 2026-06-18: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• No Robot Bosses Act — issued 2026-06-18 — PDF (72 pages)