New York City: Automated Employment Decision Tools Law (Local Law 144 of 2021)

NYC Local Law 144 regulates the use of automated employment decision tools (AEDTs) in hiring and promotion decisions involving New York City candidates or employees. It requires employers and employment agencies to ensure that a covered AEDT has been independently audited for bias within the previous year, to publish a summary of the audit results, and to provide advance notice before the tool is used. The law is focused on automated tools that substantially assist or replace discretionary employment decision-making using machine learning, statistical modeling, data analytics, or artificial intelligence. It does not require vendors to conduct the audit themselves, although providers may need to support customers with data, documentation, and audit coordination. It does not apply to tools that do not materially impact natural persons, like junk email filters, or to the assessment of individuals who have not applied for a specific position.