Analysis of San Mateo County, California's Robot Permit Ordinance: Companies Must Submit Employee Placement Plans Before Deploying Robots

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in California passed a robot permit ordinance on September 29, expected to take effect on October 29, requiring commercial establishments to apply for an annual permit before using robots and to submit an economic impact assessment and a workforce placement plan. Companies must choose one of three options: equal-pay reassignment, 60 days' advance notice with severance pay, or payment of an automation impact fee into a workforce retraining fund.