Amazon’s machine bosses are targeted in California legislation

In the coming years, companies are widely expected to adopt aspects of the management automation pioneered by Amazon. Machines already routinely sift through job applications, determine work schedules and even figure out which employees are planning to quit. — AP

A new California law designed to prevent the warehousing industry from overworking employees doesn’t name a specific company. But the legislation’s target is clear: Amazon.com Inc, which has given machines unparalleled control over workers and is accused of using the technology to impose unreasonable demands on them.

Authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, AB 701 prohibits the use of monitoring systems that thwart basic worker rights such as rest periods, bathroom breaks and safety. The legislation will help determine whether governments can regulate human-resources software that’s expected to play an increasing role in deciding who gets hired and fired, how much workers are paid and how hard they work.