Business

California Civil Rights Council Pushes to Regulate AI in Job Recruitment

The California Civil Rights Council proposed rules that prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the job recruitment process last week. The amendments to FEHA were proposed early this year to regulate employment practices carried out by businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. The council held a hearing during an official meeting at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. The proposed amendments would make it a violation of state law to use automated systems to make hiring decisions in a discriminatory way.

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock photo.

By Bo Tefu

California Black Media

The California Civil Rights Council proposed rules that prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the job recruitment process last week.

The amendments to FEHA were proposed early this year to regulate employment practices carried out by businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. The council held a hearing during an official meeting at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

The proposed amendments would make it a violation of state law to use automated systems to make hiring decisions in a discriminatory way.

Supporters say rules under the proposed Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) law would protect employees from experiencing harassment or discrimination from their employer using AI software.

In recent years, AI has been used in every stage of the hiring process, stated tech experts at a council hearing on algorithms and bias. The experts acknowledged that AI systems were used in recruitment, screening, analyzing, and making recommendations based on applicant interviews, even as far as during employment.

“The Council has determined that the proposed amendments are not inconsistent or incompatible with existing regulations,” the council stated in defense of the proposed rules.

“Currently, there are no regulations expressly addressing the use of automated‐decision systems to make or assist in making hiring or other employment decisions,” the council added.

Under this proposal, employers are prohibited from using AI systems that screen out, rank, or prioritize applicants based on their religion, disability, and medical conditions. The law also prevents employers from using automated systems that make decisions based on voice, facial expressions, and other physical characteristics including gender, race, and nationality.

State legislators are still evaluating Assembly Bill (AB) 2930, another law similar to FEHA that requires employers to notify applicants that automated systems are being used to make decisions in the recruitment process.

The use of AI systems can result in discrimination against minority groups and worsen systemic inequality in the job market, the council stated. With these new AI bills, civil rights groups are advocating for equal opportunity and fair employment practices in the workforce.

@PaulCobbOakland @NNPA_BlackPress @BlackPressUSA @PostNewsGroup @CaliforniaBlac2

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.