LANSING, Mich., Feb. 24, 2026 — Yesterday, state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing) announced the introduction of her bill that would place guardrails on employers’ use of AI. She was joined by union representatives from the AFL-CIO, the Michigan Nurses Association and the Communication Workers of America to discuss the legislation. The Responsible Artificial Intelligence Security for Employees (RAISE) Act would work to protect workers from invasive workplace surveillance from AI.

“As AI technology rapidly develops, it is essential to put the necessary guardrails in place,” Tsernoglou said. “In the workplace, more and more employees are being monitored, tracked and scrutinized not by human supervisors, but by a litany of AI tools and algorithms. This has created a ‘Big Brother’ environment where employee privacy is routinely violated.”

Recent studies have shown a growing trend of AI surveillance in workplaces, with 74% of employers using some form of online monitoring tool and 67% of employers implementing biometric tracking, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scans. Half of employees also said they suspect their employers are monitoring them without their knowledge.

“Let’s be clear: unaccountable artificial intelligence is one of the greatest threats the working-class faces — and Michigan’s labor movement is responding accordingly,” Ron Bieber, president of the Michigan AFL-CIO, said. “Without strong guardrails, AI will put tens of millions of jobs at risk, worsen inequality and cause catastrophic damage in workplaces. We need guardrails on AI now. We need comprehensive state and federal guardrails if we are going to make AI work for workers, and not billionaires. I commend Representative Tsernoglou on her sponsorship of this legislation and urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to see to its passage. Passing the RAISE Act into law is a necessary first step — but it must be one of many.”

The RAISE Act clearly defines what automated decision and electronic monitoring tools are and lays out guidelines and restrictions on how employers can use them. In addition, the legislation provides key protections for workers when they disagree with an AI tool’s assessment, so workers aren’t tied to an algorithm or computer system.

“The RAISE Act will provide critical guardrails on the use of AI in these areas,” Tsernoglou added. “I thank my friends in labor for their support in developing the legislation and look forward to moving it through the legislature.”

Hospitals are one area where AI is increasingly being used for advice in treating patients. The RAISE Act would ensure that no employee is punished for ignoring or disagreeing with an AI model. This provision is critical to protect doctors, nurses and other first responders when they are acting on instinct and experience, rather than relying on an algorithm.

“Nurses are constantly asked to do more with less. Now, instead of providing better patient ratios, benefits, or pay, hospital administrators are looking to use AI to track and surveil us. Nurses need real support, not technology that harasses us,” Jeff Breslin, RN, president of the Professional Employee Council of Sparrow Hospital (PECSH)-Michigan Nurses Association, said. “The RAISE Act would help nurses focus on providing the best care possible for our patients — we applaud this legislation and call for its passage.”

“While there may be justifiable areas where monitoring can be useful, the main concern is that these AI models and algorithms may be biased or discriminatory in nature,” Tsernoglou said. “For instance, if a company uses facial recognition technology, they may make decisions based on an employee’s facial expression or movements. Not only is this a massive invasion of privacy, but the algorithms can often be flawed, resulting in discrimination. The RAISE Act is essential to protect workers from AI surveillance and potential discrimination.”

A video of the press conference can be viewed here.

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