Job Applicant Takes Workday to Court Over Resume Screening Bots—Here’s Why It Matters
Derek Mobley sent out resumes for months—100+ applications, zero responses. Just rejection emails piling up in his inbox. Now he’s suing Workday, one of the biggest HR tech companies out there, claiming their AI resume filters screwed him over because he’s Black, disabled, and 58 years old. And honestly? This case could change everything about how companies use AI to hire people.
So What Exactly Happened with Derek Mobley?
Here’s the thing: Mobley’s got the experience. He’s worked for years. But every time he applied through a system using Workday’s tech? Instant rejection. No interview. No feedback. Just… nothing. His lawsuit says the algorithm basically filters out people like him—you know, folks from protected classes—which if true, is straight-up illegal under civil rights laws.
Workday’s keeping quiet about the details, but they insist their tools follow anti-discrimination rules. Meanwhile, lawyers are watching this case like hawks. It could set the tone for how we deal with AI hiring crap going forward.
How These Resume Screening Bots Actually Work
AI Is Taking Over Hiring (Like Everything Else)
Three out of four companies now use AI for hiring. Let that sink in. Platforms like Workday, Indeed—they’ve got bots scanning resumes, scoring candidates, even doing video interviews. Supposedly it’s about efficiency and removing human bias. But here’s the kicker: what if the bots are just copying our worst habits?
The Nuts and Bolts of Resume Bots
Most of these systems work the same way: they scan for keywords, job titles, degrees—the usual stuff. Some even create “ideal candidate” profiles based on a company’s current team. Sounds smart, right? Until you realize if your company’s full of white dudes from Ivy League schools, the AI will keep looking for… more white dudes from Ivy League schools. There was this study back in 2019—some algorithms automatically downgraded resumes from women or graduates of HBCUs. Not cool.
Why AI Hiring Tools Keep Screwing Up
This Isn’t Just One Guy’s Problem
Remember when Amazon had to kill its recruiting AI because it hated women? Or that tutoring company last year whose software auto-rejected anyone over 40? Julia Stoyanovich, this researcher who studies algorithmic bias, put it perfectly: “These systems just copy whatever crap’s in their training data. And our data’s full of crap.”
Why Job Hunters Want to Throw Their Laptops
Hop on Reddit or LinkedIn and you’ll see the same complaints everywhere. People apply to dozens of jobs and hear nothing—just ghosted by some algorithm. One guy on r/jobs wrote: “It’s like yelling at a brick wall that sends form letters.” The worst part? You never know if a human even saw your application.
How to Beat the Bots at Their Own Game
Hacking the Resume Screening System
Career coaches swear by these tricks:
- Play the keyword game: Literally copy phrases from the job description.
- Keep it simple: Fancy formatting? Tables? Graphics? The bots can’t read that stuff.
- Drop hints: Some systems actually like words like “inclusive” or “equity.” Go figure.
The Old-School Approach That Still Works
Here’s a stat that’ll make you put down the job boards: 85% of jobs get filled through networking. Yeah, the “who you know” thing still rules. Smaller companies especially—they’re less likely to rely on these AI systems. As career coach Marcia LaReau told me: “If you’re getting nowhere online, pick up the damn phone.”
When to Lawyer Up
Mobley’s case uses Title VII and ADA laws. Most people don’t go this route, but groups like the Algorithmic Justice League are pushing for change. Employment lawyer Nadia Naffe’s advice? “Document everything—rejections, patterns, all of it. Then maybe file an EEOC complaint.”
Where Do We Go From Here?
Politicians Are (Finally) Paying Attention
The EU’s rolling out this AI Act in 2025 that’ll force companies to audit their hiring algorithms. Over in the U.S., there’s talk about an Algorithmic Accountability Act. Rep. Yvette Clarke—she’s sponsoring the bill—put it bluntly: “People deserve to know why they got rejected. No more black boxes.”
Can We Actually Fix This Mess?
Some companies are trying. IBM now does “fairness reports” on their hiring tech. Others are adding human reviewers to catch the AI’s mistakes. But data scientist Cathy O’Neil makes a good point: “We keep pretending algorithms are neutral. They’re not. They’re just automated bias.”
The Bottom Line
Derek Mobley’s not just fighting for himself—he’s forcing a reckoning for every company that thinks AI hiring is some magic bullet. For job seekers? Don’t take those rejections personally. And employers better wake up: if your fancy algorithm discriminates, you’re on the hook. As Mobley’s lawyer said: “No more hiding behind the code.”
Source: Dow Jones – Lifestyle