The EEOC releases a technical assistance document exploring employers’ Title VII liability when incorporating AI tools and automated systems in employment selection procedures, and a new Texas district court rule prevents attorneys’ unchecked use of AI in preparing legal documents — we’re exploring these developments and the latest insurance regulatory news from California and Colorado in our briefing.
Tag: EEOC
Employers, There is a New EEOC Workplace Poster and You Should Post it Immediately
On October 20, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a new “Know Your Rights” poster, which replaces the former “EEOC is the Law” poster.
EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows described the new poster as a “win-win for employers and workers… making it easier for employers to understand their legal responsibilities and for workers to understand their legal rights.”
Similar to the old poster, the new poster summarizes the federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act;
- The Americans with Disabilities Act;
- The Equal Pay Act;
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act; and
- The Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act.
Restrictions on Hiring Personnel with Criminal Histories in the Insurance Industry
Over the last several years, federal and state governments have pushed employers to reemploy offenders, such as through tax incentives and subsidized training. Despite the public interest in such initiatives and programs, the insurance industry should take caution and consider specific, ongoing statutory obligations regulating or barring employment of individuals with certain criminal records.
EEOC, DOJ: Using AI Technology in Employment-Related Decisions May Violate ADA
Employers increasingly rely on computer-based tools to assist them in hiring workers, monitoring worker performance, determining pay or promotions, and establishing terms and conditions of employment. Automatic resume-screening software, hiring software, chatbot software, video interviewing software, analytics software, and employee monitoring and worker management software allow employers to find efficiencies in day-to-day employee management. Software may scan resumes and prioritize the use of certain keywords, rate employees based on their keystrokes, facial expressions or speech patterns, and obtain information about qualifications and cognitive abilities before a hiring manager ever takes a second look.
On May 12, 2022, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued separate guidance addressing employers’ use of algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) in employment-related decision-making. Both technical assistance documents focus specifically on how employers’ use of these technologies may adversely impact individuals with disabilities and violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
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Artificial Intelligence Briefing: Agencies Release Guidance on Employer Use of AI Systems
Significant new guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) advises employers that use of AI and algorithmic decision-making systems in employment-related decisions may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. In other AI news, automated decision-making and algorithmic bias became focal points at three major industry conferences held in the past month, as industry leaders work to get ahead of the rising tide of regulations targeting AI.
New EEOC Technical Assistance Addresses Caregiver Discrimination
On March 14, 2022, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a technical assistance document, the COVID-19 Pandemic and Caregiver Discrimination Under Federal Employment Discrimination Laws, which explains how discrimination against applicants and employees with caregiving responsibilities can violate federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. Although EEO laws do not prohibit discrimination against caregivers specifically, there are some circumstances in which discrimination against caregivers may be unlawful. Because the COVID-19 pandemic has created — and exacerbated — competing job and caregiving demands for individuals as they navigate hybrid work schedules, unexpected closures of school and care facilities, and potential COVID-19 exposure, the EEOC’s updated information may inform employer decisions and actions as they adapt their workplaces to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
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