You're an engineer, an analyst, a writer, a designer — and federal law gives you protections most knowledge workers have never heard of. This site explains them in plain English, before it's too late.
Every previous technology shift gave workers time. AI doesn't.
Factory robots cost millions to install. Outsourcing took years of planning. Even the internet disrupted industries over decades. Each of those transitions gave workers, industries, and policymakers time to adjust — imperfect time, but time.
AI is fundamentally different. The tools are cheap, fast to deploy, and improving at a pace that outstrips human ability to learn new marketable skills. Nobody — not economists, not technologists, not policymakers — has a clear picture of what the labor market looks like in five years. And no legislation is coming from Washington to manage the pace.
That leaves you. The National Labor Relations Act gives workers the legal right to have a voice in how workplace changes are implemented. Not to stop technology — but to ensure the people affected by these decisions are at the table when they're made.
The difference isn't political — it's structural. Workers with collective voice have legal leverage. Workers without it have none. The NLRA exists to close that gap.
Answer a few questions and get specific, actionable guidance for your situation.
The NLRA covers most private-sector workers. Government employees, independent contractors (1099), and agricultural/domestic workers are covered by different laws.
This determines how strong your protections are right now. If you're not sure, you probably don't — but it's worth checking.
This affects whether your union should already be at the bargaining table.
Whether or not changes have started, you have rights — but the urgency differs.
If your employer is implementing AI changes that affect your wages, hours, or working conditions, they are likely required to bargain with your union before making those changes — not just notify the union afterward. This is a mandatory subject of bargaining under the NLRA.
Right now, you should: Contact your union representative immediately. Ask whether the union has filed an information request about the AI deployment. Ask what your CBA says about technological change, subcontracting, and job security. If the employer made changes without bargaining, the union may have grounds for an unfair labor practice charge.
Having a union means your employer has a legal obligation to bargain before implementing changes. But that obligation only works if your union is proactive. Don't wait for the announcement.
Right now, you should: Talk to your union rep about AI. Ask them to file a proactive information request about any AI tools being piloted or planned. Review your CBA for language about technological change. The best time to negotiate AI transition terms is before the employer has committed to a plan — not after.
If your employer has disciplined, demoted, threatened, or fired you for raising concerns about AI changes — especially if you did so with coworkers — that is likely an unfair labor practice under the NLRA. Your union should be involved, and an NLRB charge should be filed.
Right now, you should: Document everything — dates, names, exact language used, witnesses. Contact your union immediately. File an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB (it's free). The statute of limitations is six months from the adverse action.
File online at nlrb.gov or call 1-844-762-6572.
Without a union, your employer has no legal obligation to bargain with you before making AI changes. But you are still protected under the NLRA if you act with coworkers. Two or more employees raising concerns together about AI changes is federally protected concerted activity. Your employer cannot legally punish you for it.
Right now, you should: Document everything — emails, meeting notes, announcements about AI tools. Talk to coworkers privately (personal phones, off-site, not on company systems). If your manager told you not to discuss the changes with colleagues, that itself is likely a federal violation. Consider whether organizing collectively — even informally — gives you more leverage than waiting.
You're ahead of most workers. The ones who fare best in these transitions are those who organize before layoffs are announced, not after. Right now, you have time, and the law protects the conversation itself.
Right now, you should: Start talking to coworkers about what you're seeing. That conversation is protected by federal law. Document any communications about AI tools, pilots, or workforce planning. Familiarize yourself with your NLRA rights so you know exactly what's protected. Consider whether your situation warrants consulting a labor attorney — many offer free initial consultations.
Remember: In a non-union workplace, your employer can implement AI changes with no notice and no obligation to consult you. The only thing that changes that dynamic is collective action. The time to build that is now.
The NLRA protects employees who engage in "concerted activity" — acting together with coworkers to address working conditions. If you raised AI concerns collectively and faced discipline, demotion, or termination, you may have an unfair labor practice claim.
Critical distinction: The protection applies when you act with coworkers, not alone. An individual complaint to your boss is generally not protected. Two or more employees raising the same concern together is.
Right now: Document the timeline carefully — when you raised concerns, who was involved, and when the adverse action occurred. File an NLRB charge (free, online). The statute of limitations is six months. You do not need a lawyer, but one can help. Call 1-844-762-6572.
If you were laid off as part of an AI-driven restructuring, several things may apply:
WARN Act: If 50+ employees were laid off within a 30-day period and the company has 100+ workers, the federal WARN Act requires 60 days advance written notice. If you didn't get it, you may be owed up to 60 days of back pay. Some states have stronger requirements.
NLRA protections: If you were singled out because you organized with coworkers around AI concerns, that may be unlawful retaliation — even in an at-will employment state. The six-month statute of limitations applies.
Severance agreements: If you're being asked to sign a release, you are never required to sign immediately. If you're over 40, you have 21 days by law.
Federal employees are covered by the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. State and local employees are often covered by state-level collective bargaining laws, which vary significantly.
Right now: Check whether your state has a public employee collective bargaining law. Many do, and they may provide similar protections for AI-related changes. If you have a union, contact your representative about AI deployment plans.
Many workers classified as independent contractors are actually employees under the law. The NLRB looks at the actual working relationship, not just what your contract says. If your employer controls when, where, and how you work, you may be misclassified.
Right now: If you believe you may be misclassified, the NLRB helpline can advise you: 1-844-762-6572. Misclassification is a significant issue in tech and creative industries, and it affects your rights in every area — not just labor organizing.
The NLRB has a free helpline where you can ask whether you're covered before taking any action. The call is confidential. They can help you understand your employment status and what protections apply to you.
Call: 1-844-762-6572 (NLRB helpline)
In the meantime, read through the rights on this site so you know what to ask about.
Worker rights have been framed as a partisan issue for decades — labor movements coded as left-wing, management as right-wing. That framing isn't just inaccurate; it actively prevents knowledge workers from accessing protections they already have.
The National Labor Relations Act is not a policy proposal. It is existing federal law, signed in 1935 and enforced under every administration since — Republican and Democratic. It has survived every political era because it reflects something foundational: that the people affected by workplace decisions should have a voice in how those decisions are made.
This site doesn't advocate for any political party, candidate, or ideology. It advocates for information equity — giving workers the same quality of legal information that management teams routinely receive from their attorneys and HR advisors. The goal is not to slow technology or oppose markets. It is to ensure that transitions this significant proceed at a pace that respects the humans involved, with those humans at the table.
This site was created by someone with direct experience on management's side of the table — including labor relations at the Port of Los Angeles managing ILWU, and automotive operations managing Teamsters under active collective bargaining agreements. The perspective here is not academic or ideological. It comes from watching how these decisions get made, seeing what information management has that workers don't, and deciding that gap shouldn't exist.
Each topic has its own dedicated guide with detailed explanations, legal references, and practical steps.
Six enforceable federal rights that apply to most private-sector workers — whether or not you have a union.
Read the full guide →Your company announced AI changes. Your manager said don't discuss it. You're being asked to train the AI. What do you do?
See scenarios →Federal law sets a floor that employer policy cannot go below. These are the specific prohibitions under the NLRA.
Know the limits →Six concrete steps — from documenting everything to filing an NLRB charge — in order of urgency.
Get the steps →The NLRA gives you the right to organize. A collective bargaining agreement makes that organization enforceable — with negotiated terms for AI deployment, retraining, severance, and transition timelines.
How to Get There →AI affects different industries differently. These guides apply your rights to your specific situation.
Your team was cut from 20 to 8 because of AI. What are your federal rights?
AI is doing the forecasting, the variance analysis, the reporting. Your rights are the same.
50+ layoffs in 30 days? Your employer may owe you 60 days of back pay.
Many states go beyond federal law. Find out if yours does.
Plain-language updates when AI labor law changes, new cases are decided, or new resources are added. No spam.