California signs workplace AI laws requiring human review of firing decisions

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation on September 30, 2026, requiring human oversight when employers use artificial intelligence in decisions to discipline or dismiss workers.

The governor’s office said the measures prohibit employers from relying solely on AI for those decisions. The package also requires greater disclosure when an AI system causes a mass layoff, relocation or termination, and adds restrictions on workplace surveillance.

The signed bills include SB 947 on automated employment decisions and SB 951 on notices concerning technological displacement. The distinction between using AI to assist a decision and allowing it to determine an outcome alone is central to the human-review requirement.

The wider package extends beyond employment. It includes training and procurement requirements for California’s public higher education institutions and measures intended to make AI-generated material easier to identify. [Governor’s September 30 announcement](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/30/californias-nation-leading-ai-framework-just-got-stronger-governor-newsom-signs-more-first-in-the-nation-worker-protections-and-more/).

The signing is a new state-level intervention in how organisations use automated systems. It follows earlier California measures establishing independent AI assessment and auditor oversight. The announcement establishes that the bills were signed; implementation dates and detailed obligations depend on the individual laws.

Source coverage: [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/30/gavin-newsom-california-ai-threat).