Artificial intelligence is reshaping how organizations recruit, screen, and hire. But as adoption accelerates, AI is also under intense scrutiny from policymakers. From Washington, D.C. to state legislatures across the country, new laws are emerging to ensure that AI is fair, transparent, and free from bias. 

For human resources and talent acquisition leaders, this regulatory wave creates both risk and opportunity. Those who adopt AI tools built with fairness and compliance in mind will be positioned to hire faster, reduce costs, and protect their brand reputation. Those who don’t risk falling behind, or worse, facing legal challenges. 

As businesses integrate AI into recruiting, a spike in litigation is inevitable. One case in particular is already shaping the conversation. 

What Should Recruiters Know About Mobley v. Workday?

In the AI bias lawsuit Mobley v. Workday, Inc., plaintiffs alleged the AI-driven applicant screening system disproportionately disqualified individuals over 40 from job opportunities. They sought collective certification under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) on behalf of all applicants aged 40+ who had applied through Workday’s platform since 2020. 

On May 16, 2025, Judge Rita Lin of the Northern District of California granted preliminary certification of the collective. She found sufficient evidence that the AI system was central to the hiring process and that applicants were forced to compete on unequal footing due to the same AI-based decision-making process. 

Although the decision is preliminary it is a landmark moment in AI and employment law. It illustrates how courts are willing to hold platforms accountable for algorithmic bias, even when hiring decisions vary by employer or job type. 

This case, combined with the rise of Black unemployment to 7.5% in August 2025, which has sparked concerns about AI bias and equity in hiring, shows why regulatory bodies and employers are pushing for greater fairness, transparency, and oversight in AI-driven recruiting systems. 

[Download Our Bias Audit Report] to see our full compliance with NYC’s AI Bias Law. 

What is the Federal AI Action Plan? 

In July 2025, the Trump administration released its much-anticipated AI Action Plan, outlining 90 policy positions across three key pillars: 

1. Accelerating Innovation – boosting AI R&D investment, promoting open models, and streamlining regulation to speed adoption. 

1. Building American AI Infrastructure – expanding secure data centers, upgrading the power grid, and strengthening workforce training. 

1. Leading in International Diplomacy and Security – setting global standards and exporting the “American AI Technology Stack” to allies. 

Running through all three pillars are cross-cutting priorities: protecting American workers, ensuring AI systems remain unbiased, and safeguarding AI against misuse. 

The Executive Order on Unbiased AI 

Subheading: Federal AI Action Plan: Compliance and Oversight in Hiring 

Alongside the AI Action Plan, President Trump signed a new Executive Order on Unbiased AI Principles. This order frames AI as a transformative force in education, work, and daily life but warns that ideological biases can distort its outputs. Specifically, the order cites “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)” frameworks as a threat to reliable AI, alleging that they encourage distortion of historical accuracy and inject social agendas into model behavior. 

To prevent this in federal procurement, the order sets two guiding principles: 

1. Truth-Seeking: AI systems must prioritize factual accuracy, objectivity, and transparency about uncertainty. 

1. Ideological Neutrality: Large language models (LLMs) must not encode partisan or ideological judgments unless explicitly prompted by the user. 

What Does Federal AI Hiring Compliance Mean for You? 

Federal agencies must now procure only LLMs that comply with fairness and transparency principles, with OMB issuing strict implementation guidance. AI contracts will require compliance clauses, and violations could trigger termination or penalties. 

In short: AI innovation at the federal level is encouraged—but systems must pass bias audits in recruiting, meet AI in hiring compliance standards, and align with evolving AI employment laws to reduce risk of AI bias lawsuits and strengthen HR tech compliance. 

2025 State AI Bias Laws Impacting Recruiting 

While Washington emphasizes speed and competitiveness, states are moving quickly to implement tougher AI safeguards. These AI employment laws have direct implications for how employers and vendors use AI in recruiting: 

• California (AB 2013): Requires AI developers to disclose the datasets used in training, effective 2026. 

• Colorado (SB24-205): Imposes strict risk management and consumer rights requirements for “high-risk” AI in areas like employment, starting February 2026. 

• Connecticut (SB 2): Requires employers to notify job applicants when AI influences hiring decisions, provide explanations, and allow appeals. 

• Illinois (HB5322): Mandates annual bias audits and impact assessments for AI used in hiring, promotion, and pay decisions beginning January 2026. 

• Maryland: Requires state agencies to conduct pre-deployment bias testing, continuous monitoring, and human oversight for high-risk AI systems. 

• New York: Moving toward one of the strictest regimes—independent audits, Attorney General filings, whistleblower protections, and bans on discriminatory AI. 

The takeaway? AI employment laws in 2025 are evolving, and by 2026 any employer or vendor using AI in recruiting will need to demonstrate bias audits in recruiting, along with bias testing, transparency, and candidate rights protections. 

What This Means for Recruiting Technology 

This mix of federal innovation mandates and state bias safeguards creates a complex landscape. For talent leaders, it means: 

• Choose AI tools and vendors that are auditable and transparent. 

• Prepare for bias assessments and third-party audits. 

• Give candidates clear notice, explanations, and appeal rights when AI is part of the hiring process. 

At Leoforce, these principles are already baked into our platform. Our outcome-based recruiting solutions, powered by Ira, the Interactive Recruiting Agent, combine AI speed with human oversight to deliver high-quality candidates without bias. 

Leoforce: AI Recruiting That’s Fair by Design 

As a minority-owned company, we believe fairness and equity should never be optional. That’s why we engineered Leoforce to be bias-resistant from the ground up: 

• Bias-Resistant by Design: We never use protected attributes like age, race, gender, or ethnicity in training or decision-making. Candidates are evaluated solely on skills, experience, and role relevance. 

• Continuous Fairness Testing: Monthly A/B testing ensures consistent, unbiased outcomes and guards against model drift. 

• Audit-Ready Infrastructure: Our systems are built to meet regulatory requirements and are certified by independent third parties. 

Certified Fairness at Scale 

Leoforce has undergone a formal third-party bias audit, with results confirming that our candidate outputs are unbiased and fully compliant with the New York City Council AI Bias Law (File Int 1894-2020 Version-A). 

With this certification, our customers benefit from: 

• Bias-free sourcing at scale 

• Fair candidate evaluations without manual intervention 

• Confidence in compliance across multiple jurisdictions 

[Download Our Bias Audit Report] to see our full compliance with NYC’s AI Bias Law. 

The Bottom Line 

AI in recruiting is no longer just about efficiency. It’s about fairness, compliance, and trust. Federal policy is pushing companies to innovate faster, while states are demanding stronger safeguards against bias. 

At Leoforce, we believe fairness isn’t a feature—it’s a foundation. Our certified, bias-resistant AI helps HR leaders hire faster, better, and more fairly so they can scale confidently in an evolving regulatory landscape. 

The post AI Bias in Hiring: What Talent Leaders Must Know to Stay Compliant in 2025 appeared first on Leoforce.

There’s a lot of buzz today around the acquisition of Paradox by Workday. 

On the surface, this looks like a power move. It combines a top enterprise HCM system with an automation tool designed to streamline candidate engagement. But beneath the headlines, the deal raises bigger questions about how HR leaders should think about the future of recruiting technology. 

The Bigger Picture: What Acquisitions Signal 

Workday’s acquisition of Paradox is just the latest signal that AI is essential in HR tech.

For years, automation in talent acquisition was viewed with caution. It was useful in theory but often limited in practice. Now, even enterprise platforms are investing heavily to add AI-driven functionality to meet rising expectations from recruiters and candidates alike. 

This deal reflects a broader truth. The pressure to reduce time to hire, improve candidate experience, and operate at scale is pushing every provider, from niche vendors to legacy HCMs, to rethink how technology supports talent teams. 

But adding AI as an afterthought or bolt-on feature does not solve the core challenge. What today’s recruiting environment demands is more than a chatbot or workflow assistant. It requires platforms that are secure, intelligent, and built for outcomes. 

What the Future of Recruiting Tech Requires 

The next generation of HR technology must do more than automate single functions. It needs to be: 

Always On and Candidate-Centric
According to SHRM, modern recruiting tools are increasingly expected to support candidate engagement around the clock. As AI becomes more integral to hiring, systems must meet candidates when they are ready to interact, not just during business hours. HR Dive also notes that the pressure to maintain a strong candidate experience is driving employers to invest in automation that helps recruiters focus on strategy rather than logistics. 

Outcome-Based, Not Activity-Based
Recruiters should prioritize measurable results like time to interview, quality of hire, and application conversion. The focus should not be on chatbot interactions or volume of automated tasks, but on delivering candidates who are qualified and ready to move forward. 

Secure and Scalable by Design
With rising concerns around privacy, bias training, compliance, and recent data incidents across the HR tech landscape, security must be built into systems from the start. It is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a baseline requirement for trust and scalability. 

Why Leoforce Is Leading the Way 

Leoforce was built for this moment. Not to catch up to where the industry is going, but to lead it forward. 

Our Career Site Agent is more than a chatbot. It is a high-converting, secure, and customizable assistant that acts as an extension of your recruiting team. 

• Human-like conversations that guide candidates in real time 

• Customizable flows aligned with your tone, brand, and goals 

• Secure architecture using AWS Cognito and role-based access 

• Lower costs and stronger results compared to legacy vendors like Paradox 

• Modern AI architecture built for scalability, security, and real recruiting impact, not outdated chatbot overlays 

And that’s just one piece of the Leoforce platform. 

We also deliver: 

• Applicants on Demand that eliminate 98% of sourcing work 

• Programmatic Advertising with pay-per-applicant pricing 

• Source and Engage and Talent Rediscovery tools that revive your existing ATS pipeline 

All powered by outcome-based pricing and built to integrate into your current stack. No disruption. No downtime. 

The Takeaway for HR Leaders 

So, what does this mean for HR and TA leaders? 

The future of HR tech is not about piecing together different tools and hoping for synergy. It is about choosing platforms that are secure, adaptable, and focused on outcomes. Ones that make recruiting easier for teams and better for candidates. 

That is the standard we have set at Leoforce. It is why employers across healthcare, logistics, security, and retail are turning to us as their AI recruiting partner of record. 

Ready to see how secure, responsible AI recruiting can transform your hiring?
Learn More About Leoforce’s AI Recruiting 

The post When Big Acquisitions Meet Big Questions: What HR Leaders Should Take Away from the Workday and Paradox Deal  appeared first on Leoforce.

In today’s hyper-competitive labor market, job descriptions are more than just a formality; they’re a frontline asset in your hiring arsenal. A strong job description can sharpen your employer brand, attract qualified talent, and align internal teams. With nearly 62% of employers receiving unqualified applications and 25% revising job posts after publishing, clarity is no longer optional; it’s essential. 

Data-backed job descriptions signal market awareness and professionalism. When titles, benefits, and qualifications reflect real-time industry trends, you’re more likely to draw serious, aligned candidates. Market intelligence isn’t a “nice-to-have, it’s your hiring edge. 

Why a Strong Job Description Still Matters in 2025 

Impact on Talent Attraction 

Applicants are savvier than ever. They research salaries, benefits, remote flexibility, and culture before they even hit “Apply.” In fact, 59% of job postings on Indeed now advertise at least one benefit, up from under 40% in January 2020—demonstrating employers recognize candidates care about benefits at first glance. A job description that clearly defines the opportunity and appeals to values, like diversity and flexibility, improves your inbound funnel. 

Employer Brand & DEI Alignment 

Every job description you post is more than a list of responsibilities. It’s a public reflection of your culture, values, and commitment to people. Today’s job seekers don’t just want a paycheck. They want purpose, belonging, and a workplace where they can envision themselves thriving. 

A thoughtfully written job description gives candidates a glimpse into what it’s really like to work with you. When you use inclusive, welcoming language and clearly articulate your diversity initiatives, remote flexibility, and growth opportunities, you’re not just checking boxes. You’re telling a story. A story that says, “You belong here.” 

Legal Compliance and Internal Alignment 

Poorly written descriptions can spark compliance issues or internal confusion. They must align with federal and state laws, particularly around pay transparency and accessibility. 

Legal Requirements That Influence Job Descriptions 

Pay Transparency Laws 

In 2025, ADP reported that these U.S. states and localities require pay ranges in job postings:
California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey (and local areas), New York (and local areas), Ohio (local), Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. 

Tip: Always include the salary range and explain variables like location or experience. 

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) 

Descriptions must distinguish essential vs. non-essential job functions to support accommodations. 

Tip: Use straightforward terms when identifying “essential” tasks (e.g., “must lift 25 lbs frequently”). 

EEO Laws 

Avoid language that may appear discriminatory regarding age, race, gender, religion, etc. 

Tip: Replace “young and energetic” with “motivated self-starter,” and use gender-neutral pronouns. 

FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) 

Clear JDs help determine if a role is exempt or non-exempt from overtime pay. 

Tip: Always include hours, supervisory scope, and performance expectations. 

Ban-the-Box Laws 

Many states prohibit asking about criminal history in job applications. 

Tip: Never say “must have a clean background” in a job post. 

Wage Theft Prevention Acts 

In states like New York and California, job descriptions must include pay frequency and classification. 

Key Components of a Good Job Description 

• Job Title: Be specific— “Customer Success Manager” is better than “Client Guru.” 

• Summary Paragraph: In 2–3 lines, share the role’s purpose and how it drives company goals. 

• Responsibilities: Use bullet points with action verbs. 

• Required Qualifications: Skills, experience, education—be realistic. 

• Preferred Qualifications: What’s a bonus, not mandatory. 

• Compensation and Benefits: Salary range, perks, growth paths. 

• Work Environment: On-site, remote, hybrid—set location expectations early. 

• Department & Reporting Info: Who the role reports to and where it sits in the org. 

How to Write a Good Job Description: Step-by-Step 

1. Start with a Clear, Searchable Title
   Align with industry norms for discoverability (e.g., “Digital Marketing Manager,” not “Marketing Ninja”). 

1. Craft a Compelling Summary
   Hook the reader in two lines, what problem do they help solve? 

1. Bullet Responsibilities
   Clarity beats verbosity. Start bullets with action verbs like “Manage,” “Lead,” “Design.” 

1. Separate Must-Haves from Nice-to-Haves
   This aids self-screening and supports fair hiring. 

1. Be Transparent About Compensation & Benefits
   Include pay range and what makes your package special like remote stipend, wellness budget, etc. 

1. Use Inclusive, Bias-Free Language
   Avoid “he/she,” replace with “they.” Watch for age, gender, and ability bias. 

1. Keep It Concise (300–700 words)
   Enough to inform, not overwhelm or intimidate.  

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Job Descriptions 

• Vague Language: “Dynamic environment” tells candidates nothing. 

• Overinflated Titles: Avoid “rockstar” or “guru” in place of clear role names. 

• Overloading with Requirements: Don’t list a Master’s or 5 years of experience for an entry-level job. 

• Ignoring DEI Language: Every word signals who belongs. 

• Not Optimizing for Search: Use plain language keywords that match job board algorithms. 

Tip for Job Seekers:
Titles like “Enterprise Sales Strategist” may hide commission-only roles. Always ask about compensation, reporting, and KPIs in interviews. 

Free Job Description Template 

Read more tips for job ads and use our free template. 

Optimizing Job Descriptions for SEO and Job Boards 

• Keyword Placement: Use the job title 2–3 times naturally. 

• Relevant Tags & Categories: Match ATS filters and job site taxonomy. 

• Formatting: Headers, bullet points, and bolded subheadings improve readability. 

• ATS Compatibility: Avoid graphics, charts, or unusual fonts. Use .docx or plain text. 

Real Examples of Strong Job Descriptions 

Tech: Scrum Master (Corporate Agile) 

• $95K–$110K salary depending on location 

• Certifications: CSM or PSM 

• Skills: Jira, Agile frameworks, stakeholder communication 

• Duties: Facilitate ceremonies, remove blockers, drive Agile maturity 

Healthcare: Registered Nurse (Hospital Setting) 

• Competitive shift-based pay, union alignment 

• Must-have: RN license, 2+ years clinical experience 

• Duties: Patient care, EMR usage, emergency protocols 

Admin: Executive Assistant (Remote Hybrid) 

• Salary: $65K–$80K 

• Duties: Calendar management, event planning, internal comms 

• Preferred: Proficiency in Google Workspace and Slack 

How Data-Driven Job Descriptions Improve Hiring Accuracy 

According to a national study, 42% of hiring managers revised job postings after seeing poor applicant quality. Real-time market intelligence bridges the gap between company needs and candidate expectations. 

Common Gaps: 

• Salary below market averages 

• Missing soft skills (e.g., conflict resolution, cross-functional collaboration) 

• Outdated technical requirements 

Example from Scrum Master Data: 

• $95K national median salary, $110K in tech hubs 

• 70% of roles request Agile certification 

• Top soft skills: stakeholder management, facilitation 

Want Better Hiring Accuracy?

Download our Role Intelligence Sheets for insights into compensation benchmarks, trending certifications, and resume keywords. 

Conclusion 

In 2025, job descriptions are no longer be “set-it-and-forget-it” tasks. They are brand amplifiers, compliance anchors, and conversion funnels for quality talent. With data-driven insights, DEI-aligned language, and market-savvy formatting, your job descriptions can not only attract interest—but the right interest. 

Start optimizing your JDs with our free analytics sheets and take the guesswork out of hiring. 

FAQs 

How often should I update salary ranges in job descriptions?
Every 6 months or during high-volume hiring cycles. 

Should certifications be listed as required or preferred?
Use market data. If 70% of listings require it, mark it “required.” If not, use “preferred.” 

How do I make templates feel personalized?
Austomize for tone, company culture, department needs and perks unique to your business. 

The post Why Job Descriptions Still Matter in 2025 — And How to Get Them Right appeared first on Leoforce.

Here’s a recap of what we covered: 

Why Most Career Site Visitors Never Apply 

Jerika kicked off the session by addressing the core challenge: 70–90% of career site visitors never finish an application. The reasons? Poor user experience, lack of real-time support, and misalignment between the job opportunities presented and what candidates are actually looking for. 

Today’s candidates expect more from their job search. They want fast, mobile-friendly experiences with instant answers and transparency around pay, culture, and process. When those expectations aren’t met, they leave—taking your pipeline and recruiting ROI with them. 

AI-Powered Engagement That Actually Converts 

Jerika then introduced how Leoforce is helping teams reverse this trend with intelligent automation. She walked through our Candidate Engagement Agent—a branded, always-on solution that meets candidates where they are. It handles screening, answers questions, matches resumes to jobs, and schedules interviews automatically—all while keeping recruiters informed. 

Importantly, this isn’t about replacing recruiters. Jerika emphasized that AI works best as an enhancer. It takes on the repetitive tasks—freeing recruiters to focus on what really matters: building relationships and closing top talent. 

Amit Thakur joined to share how Spectraforce brought this approach to life. Facing high traffic but low conversions on their career site, Spectraforce deployed the Leoforce Candidate Engagement Agent to help scale hiring across hundreds of roles and thousands of visitors. 

The results were significant: 

• 88% increase in career page interactions 

• 77% growth in candidate pool 

• 40% improvement in engagement 

• 20% boost in recruiter efficiency 

The tool gave their team 24/7 coverage and helped ensure no qualified candidate slipped through the cracks, especially outside of standard business hours. 

Check out the full case study here. 

Smart Rollouts, Measurable Impact 

To wrap the session, Jerika shared best practices for getting started with AI engagement. Her guidance: don’t overhaul—just optimize. Start by adding a real-time agent to your career site with ATS integration, then layer structured screening logic, calendar-based scheduling, and feedback loops. 

The final takeaway? AI engagement tools aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re a fast, scalable way to reduce candidate drop-off, accelerate time-to-hire, and improve candidate quality without adding to recruiter workload. 

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar recording. 

The post From Click to Candidate Webinar Recap appeared first on Leoforce.

Right from the opening keynote, it was clear this wasn’t just another stop on the HR conference circuit. With a Demo Hall buzzing with hands-on product demos, friendly faces at every turn, and insightful sessions that addressed everything from AI in hiring to accessibility in recruitment marketing, DEAMcon delivered on its promise of being different. 

Leoforce Session Spotlight: AI Without Disruption

One of the standout moments for our team was hosting the session AI Without Disruption: How to Revolutionize Hiring While Preserving Human Connection. 

In a time when AI is transforming how teams source, screen, and engage candidates, this session tackled a crucial challenge: how to scale with AI without losing the personal connection that makes great hiring happen. 

Our speakers broke it down with practical strategies and real-world use cases: 

• James Winfrey (Leoforce) shared how Agentic AI is helping teams scale operations without overwhelming recruiters. 

• Kelly Robinson (RedDot) brought candid insights on what it really takes to make programmatic work. 

• Justin Dixon (Hire Tomorrow) offered a founder’s perspective on using AI to solve hiring problems in early-stage companies. 

We explored: 

• How to introduce AI without disrupting workflows or damaging candidate experience 

• Tactics to maintain human connection in automated interactions 

• Ways to automate repetitive tasks to reduce recruiter burnout while staying compliant and inclusive 

Missed it?
Watch the full session replay here. 

“DEAMcon was unlike any conference I’ve attended before. The venue and setup were designed to foster great conversations between HR leaders, and I came away with real connections after showcasing how we create wins for hiring teams.” – Jon Masson 

As we reflect on the conversations, connections, and coffee-fueled moments, one thing is clear: DEAMcon25 delivered impact, not just inspiration. We’re walking away energized and excited to help more teams harness AI to create faster, fairer, and more efficient hiring workflows. 

Until next time, DEAMcon. 

The post DEAMcon25 Recap: Where Innovation Met Impact in HR Tech appeared first on Leoforce.