Fired by ChatGPT? NJ lawmakers want new rules for how employers use AI
💻 Nearly half of employed New Jersey adults use AI tools at work at least weekly, a Rutgers study found.
🏢 A proposed NJ law would put new limits on AI-powered workplace surveillance and certain employment decisions.
⚖️ Supporters say humans should remain responsible for major decisions such as hiring and firing.
TRENTON — Union leaders and lawmakers are pushing a new bill to stop employers from abusing artificial intelligence in the workplace.
The use of AI in the workplace is growing. More than 40% of employed New Jerseyans use AI tools in their workflow, according to a Rutgers University report.
At the same time, many workers fear that this advanced technology will replace them. Gallup polling released this month found that 27% of Americans fear that AI will make their jobs obsolete. That's an increase of seven percentage points from only one year ago.
Now, officials are warning that AI abuses could arise even if it doesn't completely replace jobs.
What the FAIR Act would do
New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech and several lawmakers advocated for new laws to set ground rules for AI in the workplace at the State House Annex on Thursday.
“We know that this new technology holds incredible promise, with the potential to make workplaces more efficient and more productive. But we also know that without oversight, AI comes with tremendous risks to working people – to our jobs, our privacy, our safety, and our basic rights,” Wowkanech said.
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The Fair AI Regulations, or FAIR, Act (S-4075) would protect employees from surveillance, dangerous quotas, and discrimination. The bill was introduced in May and is expected to come up in the Senate Labor Committee next month.
Bill sponsor Sen. Andrew Zwicker, D-Mercer, said it's not a ban on AI, but a recognition that a person should make the big decisions — such as hiring and firing.
"A person who weighs the context, who carries the experience, and who feels the consequence of every action. Fast is easy, but we're here to fight for fair," Zwicker said.
According to the bill's sponsors, the FAIR Act would:
🔴 Protect workers against AI surveillance, especially activities off the clock
🔴 Prohibit AI discrimination
🔴 Give public workers a voice when AI threatens jobs
🔴 Keep people responsible for decisions like hiring and firing
🔴 Require transparency in the use of AI systems and safeguard workers' personal information
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