New York City's Local Law 144 requires employers using automated employment decision tools (AEDTs) to conduct an independent bias audit, publish a summary of the results, and notify candidates.
Local Law 144 is one of the first US laws to put a hard requirement on an AI-influenced decision. Since enforcement began on 5 July 2023, employers using automated tools to screen or rank candidates in New York City must have an independent bias audit, publish its results, and tell candidates the tool is in use.
What it requires
An AEDT (an automated employment decision tool) cannot be used to substantially assist a hiring or promotion decision unless it has had a bias audit within the past year, the audit summary is published, and candidates receive notice. The bias audit is, in effect, a mandated audit-readiness artifact for one class of decision.
How DIG maps
A bias audit is exactly what audit readiness produces: evidence, on demand, that an AI-influenced decision met its obligations. Provenance and traceability make that audit possible rather than a guess. DIG generalizes the Local Law 144 discipline to every consequential AI-influenced decision, not just hiring.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AEDT under NYC Local Law 144?
An automated employment decision tool: software that uses machine learning or AI to substantially assist a hiring or promotion decision. Using one in New York City requires an annual independent bias audit, published results, and candidate notice.
When did NYC Local Law 144 take effect?
Enforcement began on 5 July 2023.
References
- NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0): Govern, Map, Measure, Manage. National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2023. View source ↗
- Information governance: the records and data lifecycle discipline (storage, retention, disposition), distinct from AI decision governance. ARMA International, Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles; AIIM. View source ↗
- EU AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (Official Journal of the European Union); ISO/IEC 42001:2023; Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA). View source ↗
- USPTO Trademark Reg. No. 99559923, Digital Information Governance / DIG, owner Matthew Bertram. View source ↗