The American Staffing Association, in collaboration with California Staffing Professionals, an ASA-affiliated chapter, played a central role in defeating California’s AB 1018, a bill that proposed sweeping new obligations for employers using automated decision systems (ADS) in the hiring process.

Thanks to the industry’s robust advocacy efforts, including submission of testimony and meetings arranged by ASA lobbyists Mike Robson and Molly Maula, the bill was significantly amended to reflect staffing employer concerns. Most notably, ASA successfully pushed for the removal of burdensome audit and impact assessment requirements, as well as unwieldy opt-out requirements for job applicants and employees. The amended bill also allowed staffing firms to meet pre-use notice obligations via website postings, offering some practical relief for an industry that processes thousands of candidate applications daily.

Notwithstanding the improvements, ASA continued to oppose the bill through the end of the legislative session due to the retention of unworkable post-decision notification mandates that would have required individualized notices to every applicant affected by each ADS decision, including the reason for the decision, key influencing data, and appeal procedures. ASA submitted testimony explaining why such a requirement is incompatible with the high-volume, fast-paced nature of staffing operations.

Ultimately, AB 1018 was held without a vote on the Senate floor. The bill’s author has plans to revisit the legislation in 2026, and ASA remains committed to advocating for solutions that balance artificial intelligence governance with operational realities.

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