A California federal judge has denied Workday’s request for an immediate appellate review of a lower court decision that allows job applicants to proceed with disparate impact claims under federal age bias statutes. The ruling blocks the company from seeking a midcase appeal at this stage of the litigation.
The decision centers on allegations that Workday’s artificial intelligence recruitment tools discriminated against older candidates. A federal judge previously determined that these applicants were permitted to bring their claims forward. Workday sought to challenge that determination quickly by asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene before the case moved forward.
The judge rejected this motion, stating that allowing a midcase appeal would not help advance the litigation. The court found that an immediate review was not warranted at this point in the legal process.
Workday is the subject of the suit, which involves claims that its automated hiring systems had a discriminatory effect on older workers. The company is represented by legal counsel including attorneys from Orrick Herrington, Wiggins Childs, and Winston Cooks.
The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The specific details of the AI tools in question and the full scope of the applicants' grievances remain part of the ongoing legal proceedings.
