What if the barrier keeping a qualified applicant from a job isn’t their preparation—but the hiring system itself?
Automated screening tools now influence who advances, who is rejected, and who may never be seen by a human decision-maker. A closely watched lawsuit involving Workday raises important questions about the risks these systems can create. The allegations remain unproven, and Workday denies wrongdoing—but the broader lesson extends well beyond one company or one case.
For employers and HR teams, adopting an automated hiring tool does not eliminate responsibility for the results. For workforce professionals, helping people become job-ready may no longer be enough.
We also need to understand whether the systems standing between applicants and employers are working as intended.
In this brief IAWP Observation, I examine what professionals should be asking:
• Are qualified candidates being rejected too quickly?
• Are hiring outcomes being tested for unintended disparities?
• Is there a meaningful human-review process?
• Can employers explain how their screening tools affect decisions?
Technology can make hiring more efficient. But efficiency without oversight can turn the hiring system itself into an employment barrier.