California Civil Rights Council Approves Employment Regulations Regarding Automated-Decision Systems
Summary
On June 30, 2025, the California Civil Rights Council announced final approval for regulations to protect against potential employment discrimination as a result of the use of automated-decision systems, including artificial intelligence (AI). The regulations aim to:
- Make it clear that the use of an automated-decision system may violate California law if it harms applicants or employees based on protected characteristics, such as gender, race, or disability.
- Ensure employers and covered entities maintain employment records, including automated-decision data, for a minimum of four years.
- Affirm that automated-decision system assessments, including tests, questions, or puzzle games that elicit information about a disability, may constitute an unlawful medical inquiry.
- Add definitions for key terms used in the regulations, such as “automated-decision system,” “agent,” and “proxy.”
The regulations were approved on June 27, 2025, and they go into effect on October 1, 2025. The full text of the regulations is available here.
Impacted Sectors
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