I am preparing to use AI for hiring decisions. Who conducts NYC Bias Audit certification?

If you’re planning to use AI in hiring in NYC, the relevant requirement is NYC Local Law 144 (LL144), which regulates “automated employment decision tools” (AEDTs).

Who conducts the bias audit?

The audit must be conducted by an independent auditor—not by NYC itself and not simply by the AI vendor. NYC’s rules define an independent auditor as a person or organization that is independent of the AEDT’s use/development and conducts the required statistical bias analysis.

There is no NYC government certification or centralized list of “certified” auditors. NYC requires the employer/employment agency to ensure that an independent audit is performed, and the employer must make a summary of the results publicly available.

Some organizations currently offering LL144 audits include:

• BABL AI — an established AI-bias auditing firm that has conducted LL144 audits. A recent published audit identifies BABL AI as the independent auditor.
• ORCAA — an algorithmic auditing firm; it is among the firms identified in the current NYC LL144 auditor market.
• DCI Consulting / Holistic AI — firms that have offered NYC AEDT bias-audit services.
• AEDT Audits — a newer independent-audit provider specifically focused on LL144.
• Bias Audit USA — another provider offering independent LL144 audits.

What the audit actually covers

For an AEDT that selects or advances candidates, the audit generally needs to calculate selection rates and impact ratios across:

• sex categories;
• race/ethnicity categories; and
• intersectional race/ethnicity + sex categories.

The NYC rule specifically requires these calculations.

The audit must be no more than one year old when the AEDT is used. Employers also have publication and candidate-notice obligations.

One important distinction: “bias audit” and “certification” aren't quite the same thing. LL144 requires an independent bias audit; NYC does not issue a government “LL144 certification” for your AI hiring system. In fact, some audit providers explicitly state that their work is an audit rather than a certification of legal compliance.

If you tell me what AI hiring tool you plan to use (e.g., an ATS/resume screener, interview-scoring AI, assessment tool, etc.), I can also tell you whether LL144 likely applies and which auditors would be appropriate for that particular tool.

Under New York City’s Local Law 144 , bias audits for Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDTs) cannot be self-conducted. They must be performed by an independent auditor.

Who Qualifies as an Independent Auditor?

According to the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) rules, an independent auditor is a person or organization that meets specific criteria:

• No Affiliation with the Vendor: The auditor must not be involved in the creation, development, or distribution of the AEDT.
• No Affiliation with the Employer: The auditor cannot be involved in using or managing the AEDT for the employer's hiring or promotion decisions.
• Demonstrated Expertise: The individual or organization must possess the necessary capability, competence, and objective expertise (such as data scientists, specialized AI ethics/compliance firms, or third-party auditing organizations) to conduct a valid disparate impact analysis.

Who Enforces and Certifies Compliance?

• Enforcement Agency: The law itself is overseen and enforced by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP).
• The "Certification" Mechanism: The DCWP does not pre-approve or hand-stamp specific independent auditing firms. Instead, the "certification" or proof of compliance relies on the independent auditor completing the required disparate impact calculations (such as impact ratios for sex, race, and ethnicity), and the employer then publicly posting that audit summary—along with the distribution date of the tool—on the employment section of their website before deploying the AI tool.

If you'd like, I can share:

• The specific metrics (like impact ratios) an auditor is required to calculate.
• Steps for candidate notification required under the same law.

Let me know how you'd like to proceed with your AI compliance strategy.

Under New York City’s Local Law 144 , bias audits for Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDTs) cannot be conducted internally. Instead, they must be performed by an independent auditor.

Who Qualifies as an "Independent Auditor"?

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) defines an independent auditor as a person or group (such as a third-party firm, specialized AI auditing company, or independent consultant/statistician) that is free from any financial, ownership, or organizational conflicts of interest with the employer or the vendor who created/supplied the hiring tool.

• The auditor cannot be an employee of the company using the AI tool.
• The auditor cannot have participated in developing or selling the specific AEDT being evaluated.

Types of Organizations That Conduct These Audits

Employers typically hire external organizations that specialize in algorithmic fairness, industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology, data science, or legal-tech compliance. Common options include:

• Dedicated AI Auditing & Compliance Firms: Companies specifically built to perform third-party algorithmic and disparate impact testing (e.g., BABL AI, Conformance AI , or Warden AI).
• Major Accounting and Consulting Firms: Large professional services networks (such as Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG) that offer algorithmic assurance and bias-testing services.
• Specialized Employment Law and Psychometric Consultancies: Independent industrial-organizational psychology practices and legal compliance groups equipped to calculate impact ratios and evaluate selection rates across protected demographic categories.

Enforcement vs. Certification

Note that the NYC DCWP (Department of Consumer and Worker Protection) does not conduct the audits or pre-certify auditors themselves. The city sets the legal standard (testing for disparate impact across race, ethnicity, and sex), but it is up to the employer to hire a qualified, objective third party, receive the audit results, and then publicly post the summary on their website before deploying the tool in NYC.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What type of AI/hiring tool you are planning to use
• Whether you are the employer deploying the tool or the software vendor supplying it

I can help you understand your specific compliance obligations or what to look for when selecting an auditor.

If by “NYC Bias Audit certification” you mean the requirement for AI-assisted hiring under NYC Local Law 144, there isn't a city-issued “certification” that employers obtain. Instead, the employer must have an independent auditor conduct a bias audit of the automated employment decision tool (AEDT).

Who conducts the audit?

The auditor must be independent of both the employer/employment agency and the AEDT vendor. The audit generally examines selection rates and impact ratios for race/ethnicity, sex, and their intersection.

Examples of organizations that publicly conduct NYC LL144 audits include:

• PwC — offers independent bias audits for AEDTs under Local Law 144.
• BABL AI — has conducted NYC bias audits for employers and identifies its auditors as certified under ForHumanity's NYC AEDT Bias Audit program.
• ORCAA — offers bias-audit services specifically for Local Law 144.
• Other independent auditors — the ACLU/NYCLU maintains a public tracker showing auditors used for various employers, including BLDS, Resolution Economics, BABL AI, and others.

Importantly, NYC DCWP does not itself perform or “certify” your audit; DCWP is the enforcement agency.

If you're preparing to actually deploy an AI hiring system, I can also give you a current shortlist of NYC LL144 auditors, what they charge, and which ones are best suited for a small/midsize employer versus a large company.

Under New York City’s Local Law 144 (governing Automated Employment Decision Tools, or AEDTs ), the city's regulatory agency—the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)—does not officially certify, license, or maintain a pre-approved list of independent auditors or vendors.

Instead, the responsibility falls on the employer or employment agency to hire a truly independent and impartial auditor to conduct the bias assessment.

Who Qualifies as an Independent Auditor?

To meet the legal standard under NYC rules, the person or organization conducting the audit must satisfy strict criteria for independence:

• No Financial or Employment Ties: The auditor cannot be an employee, current contractor, or have any financial or ownership relationship with the employer commissioning the audit.
• No Vendor Relationship: The auditor cannot be the vendor who developed, sold, or maintains the specific AI/AEDT hiring tool being audited (nor can the vendor audit its own product).
• Impartiality: They must possess the statistical, data, and algorithmic expertise necessary to fairly compute selection rates, scoring rates, and impact ratios for race, ethnicity, and gender categories.

Types of Third-Party Organizations Conducting Audits

Because NYC does not license individual auditors, organizations typically engage specialized third parties, such as:

• Dedicated AI Audit & Governance Firms: Specialized compliance companies (such as Holistic AI, BABL AI, Warden AI, VerifyWise , etc.) that focus specifically on algorithmic bias testing and regulatory frameworks.
• Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology and HR Consulting Firms: Traditional employment testing and validation consultants who have expanded their practices to evaluate algorithmic adverse impact.
• Accounting and Professional Services Networks: Major firms (such as Deloitte and other national risk-advisory practices) that offer algorithmic assurance and audit services.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What type of AI tool you are deploying (resume screener, video interview analyzer, candidate ranker, etc.)
• Whether you want to evaluate independent consulting firms vs. automated compliance platforms

I can help you outline the key questions to ask prospective auditors to ensure they meet NYC DCWP standards.

If by “NYC Bias Audit certification” you mean the requirement under NYC Local Law 144 for AI/automated employment decision tools (AEDTs), there is not a government certification program or a single NYC-approved certifier.

Instead, the employer or employment agency must have the AEDT undergo a bias audit conducted by an “independent auditor.” NYC’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) defines the audit as an impartial evaluation and requires, at minimum, analysis of selection/scoring rates and impact ratios across sex, race/ethnicity, and intersectional categories.

Who can conduct it?

An independent auditor can be an outside person or organization with the appropriate expertise, provided they meet NYC's independence requirements. In particular, the auditor cannot be involved in using or developing the AEDT and cannot be employed by, or have a financial interest in, the employer/employment agency or the AEDT vendor.

So, for example, organizations offering AI bias auditing, employment testing/industrial-organizational psychology, statistical validation, or algorithmic auditing services may conduct these audits—but they don't receive a special NYC “certification” from DCWP.

Important for your hiring plans: Local Law 144 applies when an AEDT substantially assists or replaces discretionary decision-making in hiring or promotion, including candidate screening, not merely the final hiring decision.

The current NYC guidance is here:

If you want, I can also give you a shortlist of reputable companies that currently perform NYC Local Law 144 bias audits, including approximate pricing and what to look for when selecting an auditor.

Under NYC Local Law 144 (LL144), there is not a single NYC-approved “certification body” that certifies AI hiring tools. Instead, employers and employment agencies using covered Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDTs) must obtain a bias audit conducted by an “independent auditor” before using the tool (and generally within one year of each use). The audit results must be summarized and made publicly available.

An independent auditor is typically a qualified third party that is not involved in developing or using the AEDT being audited. The auditor evaluates whether the tool has disparate impact, including analysis across race/ethnicity and sex categories (and intersectional categories under the NYC rules).

Examples of organizations that provide NYC LL144 bias audit services include:

• Deloitte — offers advisory and audit-related services around algorithmic bias and LL144 compliance.
• BABL AI — has conducted LL144 bias audits for AEDTs.
• Holistic AI — provides independent AI bias audit services for AEDTs.
• Other specialized AI governance and statistical audit firms also provide LL144 audits; the key requirement is independence and a methodology that satisfies the law.

The NYC regulator is the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). DCWP enforces compliance; it does not perform or certify the employer’s bias audit itself.

When selecting an auditor, check that they can provide:

1. A written independent auditor attestation/report.
2. The required selection-rate or scoring-rate and impact-ratio analyses.
3. A public summary suitable for posting.
4. Documentation showing independence from your AI vendor and your organization.

If you are preparing to deploy a hiring AI system, the first step is usually determining whether it qualifies as an AEDT under LL144 (for example, whether it substantially assists or replaces human decision-making in screening, ranking, or recommending candidates).

Under NYC Local Law 144 , the city does not certify or provide a list of official or government-approved auditors. Instead, the law requires employers to hire an independent third-party auditor to conduct an impartial evaluation and issue the bias audit. An auditor is legally considered "independent" if they have no involvement in the development, distribution, or internal utilization of the specific Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) being assessed.

Who Can Conduct the Audit

• Specialized AI Assurance & Compliance Firms: Dedicated third-party companies focus explicitly on algorithmic compliance and fairness evaluations (such as Holistic AI, BABL AI, Warden AI , and Trilateral Research).
• Data Science & Consulting Consultancies: Major global risk and accounting firms (such as Deloitte ) offer algorithmic audit and assurance practices.
• Independent Psychometricians and Labor Economists: Professionals with specific credentials in adverse impact analysis, employment testing, and EEO/diversity data analytics.

Key Requirements for Compliance

• The Auditor's Role: The independent third party must test the tool for disparate impact on sex, race, and ethnicity using historical or test data under the 4/5ths rule threshold, then produce a signed summary report.
• Enforcement Body: While the city doesn't conduct the audits, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is responsible for enforcing Local Law 144 and reviewing public disclosures.
• Employer Obligations: After receiving the independent audit, the employer must publicly post a summary of the results and the audit date on their website's employment section prior to using the tool for any NYC candidate.

If you'd like, I can provide:

• The exact calculation metrics (impact ratios) required in the audit summary
• The candidate notification timeline rules
• Details on how to check if your tool qualifies as an AEDT

For AI-assisted hiring in New York City, the required “NYC Bias Audit” is not certified by NYC itself. Under NYC Local Law 144 (LL 144), the employer must have its Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) audited by an independent auditor before using the tool (and at least annually while it is in use). The auditor conducts the bias audit; the employer is responsible for compliance.

Examples of organizations that provide NYC LL 144 bias audit services include:

• Deloitte — provides AI/algorithmic bias audit services and advisory support related to LL 144 compliance.
• Hiretual and other AI recruiting vendors may offer audit-related services or compliance support, though employers should verify whether the auditor is sufficiently independent under LL 144.
• Specialized independent audit firms, such as AEDT Audits, market independent LL 144 bias audits.

When selecting an auditor, look for someone who can:

1. Qualify as an “independent auditor” (not the employer and not simply the AEDT vendor auditing itself).
2. Perform the required statistical analysis (typically selection rates and impact ratios by race/ethnicity and sex/gender categories).
3. Produce documentation suitable for the required public summary posting.

The enforcing agency is the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), but DCWP does not perform or certify individual company bias audits. It enforces compliance with the law.

If you are selecting a vendor, it is worth asking for: (a) sample LL 144 audit reports, (b) auditor independence statement, (c) methodology, (d) protected-category data handling practices, and (e) whether they audit your specific AI hiring workflow rather than only the software vendor’s general model.

Under New York City’s Local Law 144 (governing Automated Employment Decision Tools or AEDTs), bias audits are not conducted or certified by a government agency.

Who Conducts the Audit?

• Independent Third-Party Auditors: You must hire an independent, impartial third party to perform the evaluation.
• No Government Approval List: The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) does not maintain an official or approved list of certified auditors. Selecting a qualified, objective auditor is entirely the responsibility of the employer.
• Who Qualifies as an Auditor? Typically, these are specialized AI auditing firms (such as BABL AI, Holistic AI, Conformance AI, or Warden AI), data analytics consultancies, or industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologists who have no financial or operational stake in the tool being tested.

The Role of the NYC DCWP

• The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing the law and levying penalties for non-compliance.
• They do not issue a "certificate" of approval; rather, compliance is achieved by having the independent audit completed, publishing the summary of results publicly on your company's website, and providing the proper 10-day candidate notifications.

If you'd like to proceed, let me know:

• What type of AI tool you are planning to use (e.g., resume screener, video interview analyzer, skill assessment)
• Whether the tool was built in-house or provided by a third-party vendor

I can help outline the specific data requirements you'll need to hand over to an independent auditor.