The RISE Act
The First Step Toward DC as a Hub for Responsible Innovation
As AI transforms how we work, how we learn, and how decisions get made about our lives, Washington, DC faces a choice. We can wait for the disruption and scramble to respond. Or we can lead the country in getting this right.
The RISE Act is the most comprehensive AI and automation policy proposed by any city in America. It protects workers. It democratizes access. It safeguards privacy. And it rewards employers who share the gains of technology with the people who helped build their companies.
This is not anti-technology. It is pro-people. It protects workers at large companies while giving small businesses the tools and funding to compete. AI should liberate us, not replace us. Every DC resident deserves access to the tools that will define the future. And when technology increases prosperity, everyone should share in the gains.
The Bottom Line
Worker Protection: 90 days advance notice before AI eliminates or substantially changes jobs — matching DC's existing WARN standard — with mandatory transition support no other jurisdiction provides
Gain-Sharing: When automation increases profits, workers get a share
Universal Access: Free AI stations at every library, rec center, and career center so every resident can access AI tools
Privacy: The right to know when AI makes decisions about you, with mandatory bias audits and public disclosure
The AI Challenge
The data is clear. DC is more exposed to AI disruption than any city in the country, and no one is doing anything about it.
1 in 4 — DC jobs were federal before the cuts began. The elimination of more than 317,000 federal positions nationwide has already driven DC unemployment from 5.3% in January 2025 to 6.7% by December 2025. AI-driven automation threatens to replace many of the roles that remain.
52% — of workers are worried about AI's future impact on the workplace
3.9-to-1 — DC has the nation's widest Black-White unemployment gap, meaning automation's disruptions will hit Black workers hardest without intervention
0 — U.S. cities with comprehensive AI worker protections. DC can be first.
Other cities are starting to act in pieces. New York requires bias audits for AI hiring tools — but a December 2025 State Comptroller audit found enforcement "ineffective," with the city identifying just 1 violation among 32 companies while auditors found at least 17. Colorado passed algorithmic discrimination protections, but enforcement has been repeatedly delayed amid industry opposition and potential federal preemption — and the law still does not require worker notification or transition support. The EU adopted the AI Act, but it applies primarily to AI developers, not to protecting workers from displacement. No jurisdiction provides universal AI access to residents.
Without action, AI will widen existing inequalities. With the right policies, it can close them.
Title I: Responsible Transition Protections
When AI changes or eliminates jobs, workers don't get discarded — they get supported.
Right now, there is no requirement for employers to warn workers before automation eliminates their positions. No mandatory transition support. No obligation to share the productivity gains that displacement creates. The RISE Act changes that.
Advance Notice and Planning
90 days advance notice before AI eliminates or substantially changes jobs at companies with 50 or more employees — matching DC's existing WARN standard and extending it to cover AI-driven displacement for the first time
AI Implementation Plan filed with the Department of Employment Services when 10 or more positions are affected, detailing which roles are changing, what the timeline looks like, and what support workers will receive
Individual written notification to every affected worker with an explanation of available resources
The federal WARN Act requires just 60 days for mass layoffs, and DC's existing WARN requires 90 days — but neither addresses gradual AI-driven workforce reduction. A company that automates 15 positions over six months may not trigger either law. The RISE Act closes that gap, ensuring AI displacement is covered by the same notice protections that already apply to plant closings and mass layoffs — with comprehensive transition support that no other jurisdiction provides.
Companies establishing new operations in DC receive a two-year transition period before employer mandates take effect — while immediately qualifying for AI Integration Grants, Shared Prosperity Tax Credits, and Responsible Employer Certification.
Transition Support
When 5 or more positions are eliminated due to automation, employers provide:
Severance: minimum 2 weeks pay per year of service, up to 26 weeks
Retraining: up to $10,000 in job training support through DCIA or approved providers
Career services: 6 months of career counseling and job placement assistance
Health benefits: COBRA subsidies for 6 months for workers earning under $75,000
Gain-Sharing
When automation makes a company more profitable, the workers who built that company share in the gains. Companies implementing AI that reduces the workforce by 10% or more must meet both requirements:
Gain-sharing for displaced workers: A one-time shared prosperity bonus equal to 25% of documented productivity gains, distributed among all displaced workers. This is separate from and in addition to severance pay.
Gain-sharing for remaining workers: Companies must provide either a financial benefit (profit-sharing bonus or permanent wage increase, whichever delivers greater total compensation to employees), a 32-hour workweek at full pay, or file a public Reinvestment Plan with the Department of Employment Services detailing how productivity gains are being reinvested in DC operations, new hiring, or workforce development. Companies that share gains with workers receive the Shared Prosperity Tax Credit. Companies that file a Reinvestment Plan maintain eligibility for DC contracts. Companies that do neither lose access to both.
All gain-sharing payments are structured as wages or bonuses under DC wage law, not as employee benefit plan contributions.
The implementing legislation will establish clear definitions, reporting standards, measurement windows, and penalties for noncompliance, developed in consultation with the Department of Employment Services and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.
The principle: Shared progress, shared prosperity — whether you stay or go.
DC Government Leads by Example
No DC government employee will be laid off due to automation
Affected workers retrained and redeployed to other roles
Attrition and voluntary transitions manage workforce changes
Early retirement incentives for workers choosing to exit
Retraining Pathways
DCIA AI Track: New certification programs in AI tool proficiency, data analysis, prompt engineering, and AI-assisted trades
Capital Corps STEM & Innovation Corps: Service members trained to help small businesses and government agencies implement AI responsibly
UDC Partnership: Credit-bearing AI courses accessible to displaced workers at no cost
"Shared progress, shared prosperity — whether you stay or go. That is the principle. If a company profits from technology that displaces its workers, those workers are owed more than a box and a handshake." — Gary Goodweather
Title II: Innovation Advancement & Access
DC becomes a national leader in AI adoption AND ensures everyone can use it.
Right now, a student at a well-resourced university has unlimited access to AI tools that help them write better, research faster, and learn more efficiently. A high school student might not have a computer at home, let alone a $20/month AI subscription. This is the new digital divide — and it is growing.
Universal AI Access
Free access to AI tools at every DC public library, recreation center, and DOES career center — on public computers, staffed with trained facilitators who help residents use AI for job searches, skills training, small business planning, and education
AI access in every DCPS and public charter school so students and teachers have the tools they need in the classroom
Device access programs ensuring residents who need hardware to access AI tools can get it through existing digital inclusion programs
Free AI literacy training through UDC, community colleges, libraries, and online platforms — open to all residents
In the industrial age, we made sure every kid could read. In the information age, we put computers in every school. In the AI age, DC will make sure every resident can access and use AI to improve their lives — at their library, their school, their career center.
AI in Education
For Students:
AI-integrated K-12 curriculum — not just "how to use ChatGPT" but critical thinking about AI, ethics, and how these systems work
Free AI tutoring tools piloted in Year 2 and scaled to all DCPS and charter students by Year 3 — personalized academic support regardless of family income
Equity mandate: every student has access to the same AI tools, regardless of ward or school resources
Career pathways preparing high school students for AI-adjacent careers
For Teachers:
Professional development: every educator trained on teaching with AI and detecting AI-generated work
Lesson planning tools: AI assistants to reduce administrative burden and free up teaching time
Research support: AI tools for curriculum development and differentiated instruction
Small Business Support
AI Integration Grants of up to $10,000 for DC small businesses adopting AI tools responsibly
Technical Assistance Program: free consultations helping small businesses use AI effectively
Regulatory sandboxes: safe spaces for companies to pilot new AI tools without immediate regulatory burden
"AI-Ready DC" Certification: recognition program with procurement preferences
Government Modernization
$2 million annual AI Innovation Fund — DC agencies compete for modernization funding, with awards based on projected service improvements and measurable outcomes
AI-powered 311 for faster constituent response
Automated permit tracking with real-time status updates
AI-assisted benefits navigation to help residents access programs they qualify for
Radical Transparency Dashboard: live, public-facing metrics on response times, cost savings, and outcomes
Capital Corps STEM & Innovation Corps: service members deployed to help small businesses and nonprofits modernize
Title III: Security & Privacy Safeguards
Your data is yours. Innovation does not mean surveillance.
AI systems are already making decisions about DC residents — who gets hired, who gets housing, who qualifies for credit, who receives benefits. Most people have no idea it is happening, no way to challenge the decision, and no recourse when the system gets it wrong.
Algorithmic Transparency
Pre-use notification: before any AI system is used to make consequential decisions about DC residents in hiring, housing, credit, benefits, or education, residents must be informed
Right to explanation: a meaningful, plain-language explanation of how AI systems reached decisions affecting you
Right to appeal: every consequential AI decision comes with a process for human review and correction
Mandatory Bias Audits
Annual independent audits of all AI systems making consequential decisions
Public disclosure of audit results and any disparities found
Mandatory remediation when audits reveal discriminatory outcomes
Private right of action for residents harmed by biased AI decisions
Workplace Surveillance Limits
Written notice required before any electronic monitoring of employees
Prohibition on emotion recognition in workplace settings, following the EU AI Act
Limits on keystroke monitoring and continuous productivity tracking without clear business necessity
No AI social scoring of employees
Data Protection
Opt-out rights: residents can opt out of having their data used for AI training
Access and deletion: right to access, correct, and delete personal data held by AI systems
Purpose limitation: data collected for one purpose cannot be used for AI training without consent
Enhanced security requirements for AI systems handling resident information
Title IV: Employment & Economic Opportunity
The gains from technology belong to everyone, not just shareholders.
The RISE Act does not just regulate. It incentivizes. Employers who do right by their workers in the age of AI get tax benefits, procurement advantages, and public recognition.
Shared Prosperity Tax Credit
25% tax credit on documented gain-sharing payments to employees
Credit capped at $100,000 per company annually
Available to any DC-based employer meeting the gain-sharing requirements of Title I
AI Skills Training
Workers need opportunities to build AI skills before displacement happens — not after. DC will create an incentive-driven approach ensuring every worker has access:
For DC contractors and grant recipients (incentivized at enhanced rates):
Receive a 35% tax credit (vs. 25% standard) for providing employees paid AI skills training hours
Prioritized for AI Integration Grants and "AI-Ready DC" Certification
Training in AI tool proficiency, prompt engineering, working alongside automation, or AI-adjacent technical skills
Completed through DCIA, UDC, or other certified providers
For all other employers (incentivized):
Employers who provide paid AI training time receive a 25% tax credit to offset costs
Credit amount tied to hours provided and employees trained
DC's investment (free for everyone):
Training courses through DCIA and UDC are free — DC covers the cost for both employers and individual residents
Workers can access AI training on their own time through free public programs at libraries, community centers, and online platforms
No worker is locked out of AI upskilling because their employer does not participate
The principle: Every DC worker should have a path to AI-era skills whether their employer invests or not.
AI & Automation Apprenticeships
Registered apprenticeships in AI-adjacent careers: data analysis, AI system oversight, prompt engineering, AI-assisted trades, and technical support
Earn while you learn: apprentices receive wages while gaining credentials
Target: 100 new apprenticeship slots in the first term, with expansion based on demand
Direct pathway from training to employment, developed in partnership with DC employers who commit to hiring graduates
Priority access for workers displaced by automation and residents from underserved communities
32-Hour Workweek Pilot
100-80-100 model: 100% pay, 80% time, 100% productivity
$10,000 annual grant per participating company to offset transition costs
Up to 50 participating businesses across sectors in the first cohort
Independent evaluation by a local university partner
Evidence from the UK pilot (2022): 92% of 61 participating companies made the 4-day week permanent. Revenue increased 35%. Resignations dropped 57%.
This voluntary pilot is separate from the Title I gain-sharing requirement. The pilot tests whether businesses proactively adopting shorter weeks see benefits even without displacement.
Good Jobs Standards
Companies receiving DC contracts or AI-related grants must:
Provide advance notice of AI-driven workforce changes
Offer transition support to affected workers
Demonstrate fair treatment in AI-assisted decisions
Complete annual bias audits for AI hiring and management tools
Responsible Employer Certification
A voluntary certification recognizing companies that lead on worker-friendly AI:
Procurement preference on DC government contracts
Public recognition through annual awards and marketing support
Talent attraction — certification marketed to job seekers as a mark of a quality employer
Investment & Timeline
These are targets, not guarantees. Legislative calendars, Council priorities, budget negotiations, and implementation complexity may extend timelines. We commit to transparency about progress and delays, and to achieving full RISE Act implementation within the first term.
Annual cost: approximately $25 million (less than 0.15% of DC's $21 billion budget)
Funded by: General Fund, federal formula grants including WIOA Dislocated Worker and Registered Apprenticeship funding, employer contributions to the Workforce Transition Fund, tech sector partnerships for discounted AI tool access, and revenue offsets from reduced unemployment and social services costs .
Federal funding relies on formula grants that DC receives automatically under existing law — not competitive grants subject to executive discretion. If any federal source is reduced, the program scales implementation to match available revenue.
Phase 1: Foundation
AI Governance Order, Reassignment-First Directive, Government AI Transparency Order. RISE Act Task Force appointed. Full legislation introduced to DC Council. DCIA AI Track curriculum development begins. AI access deployed at libraries, rec centers, and career centers.
Phase 2: Launch
Full RISE Act takes effect. First DCIA AI Track cohorts begin. AI tutoring tools piloted in select DCPS schools. 32-hour workweek pilot launches. First AI Integration Grants issued to small businesses. First competitive AI Innovation Fund awards to agencies.
Phase 3: Expansion
AI tutoring tools scaled to all DCPS and willing charter schools. Full gain-sharing requirements in effect. First Shared Prosperity Tax Credits issued. 32-hour workweek pilot results published. Capital Corps STEM & Innovation Corps launches first cohort.
Phase 4: Full Operations and Review
All programs operational. Mandatory comprehensive review published with data on economic impact, business formation, job creation, displacement rates, and worker outcomes. Council considers adjustments based on evidence.
What We Will Accomplish
Every DC worker protected by advance notice and transition support before AI changes their job
Every DC resident with access to free AI tools at any library, school, or career center
Every DC student learning with AI in the classroom
Every consequential AI decision subject to transparency, explanation, and appeal
The first comprehensive municipal AI worker protection framework in the United States
A city where technology increases prosperity for everyone
Building the Coalition
The RISE Act brings together:
Workers who need protection when technology changes their jobs
Families who cannot afford the AI tools their kids need to compete
Small business owners who deserve the same AI tools as the national chains competing against them
Seniors who do not want to be left behind by technology they do not understand
Teachers who need support integrating AI into their classrooms
Companies that want to do right by their workers and be recognized for it
No single constituency can pass this alone. Together, we can.
Common Questions
"Won't this hurt DC's competitiveness?"
The opposite. Talent follows good policy. Companies struggle to hire when workers fear for their futures. The RISE Act makes DC the most attractive place for workers and for responsible companies. When workers feel secure, productivity rises. And new companies establishing DC operations get a two-year transition period before mandates apply — with immediate access to grants and tax credits from Day 1.
"Will businesses leave DC?"
DC needs more businesses, not fewer — and the RISE Act is designed to attract them. New companies establishing DC operations get a two-year transition period before mandates apply, with immediate access to grants and tax credits from Day 1. The requirements apply only to large companies making major AI-driven workforce changes, and even those companies get a choice: share gains with workers, reinvest in DC, or both — with tax credits that offset the cost. The vast majority of DC businesses are under 50 employees and face no new mandates at all. The RISE Act makes DC the best city in the country for responsible employers. That is a competitive advantage, not a burden.
"Is this anti-technology?"
Not remotely. The RISE Act includes AI Integration Grants for businesses, a competitive AI Innovation Fund for government agencies, regulatory sandboxes for tech companies, and AI stations at every library and career center. We are accelerating adoption — while ensuring the benefits are shared.
"Does this apply to my small business?"
The advance notice, transition support, and gain-sharing requirements apply only to companies with 50 or more employees that are making significant AI-driven workforce changes. The vast majority of DC businesses are well under that threshold. For small businesses, the RISE Act is a net positive: up to $10,000 in AI Integration Grants, free technical assistance, regulatory sandboxes for testing new tools, and an "AI-Ready DC" Certification with procurement preferences. If you run a 20-person business, the RISE Act gives you money and support. It does not impose new mandates on you.
"Isn't universal AI access expensive?"
DC already provides free public computers and internet access at every library. Adding AI tools to those computers and training staff to help residents use them is an incremental cost, not a new program built from scratch. The alternative — a city where only people who can afford $20/month+ subscriptions can access the tools reshaping our economy — costs more in the long run through lost opportunity and widening inequality.
"120 days notice seems like a lot."
The federal WARN Act already requires 60 days for mass layoffs. DC's existing WARN Act requires 90 days. The RISE Act adds 30 days to that — one additional month — and pairs it with comprehensive transition support that no other jurisdiction provides. A paralegal told on a Friday that her job is automated by Monday has no real chance to transition. 120 days is the difference between displacement and preparation.
"Who pays — the city or the employer?"
Employers provide direct transition support: severance, retraining funds, career services, and health benefits. The city provides the tax credits, public AI access, the apprenticeship pipeline, and the government modernization. The cost to employers is offset by the Shared Prosperity Tax Credit — share the gains with your workers, and the city shares the cost with you.
"How would you enforce the gain-sharing requirement?"
The same way DC enforces prevailing wage, paid family leave, and workplace safety requirements: through employer reporting, audits, and penalties for noncompliance. Employers file an AI Implementation Plan with baseline productivity metrics before automation and projected gains after. Companies can meet the remaining-worker requirement by sharing gains directly, by filing a public Reinvestment Plan showing how gains are being reinvested in DC, or both. The implementing legislation will establish clear definitions, measurement windows, and graduated penalties developed in consultation with DOES and the OCFO. Companies cannot claim AI-driven efficiency gains to their shareholders while denying those same gains to their workers — or to the city.
"What about the 32-hour workweek — is that mandatory?"
No. The 32-hour workweek is one option employers can choose under the gain-sharing requirement. Alternatives include a financial benefit to workers or a public Reinvestment Plan. The 32-Hour Workweek Pilot is a separate, voluntary program for 50 businesses to test the model with independent evaluation.
"What about federal workers? Can DC protect them?"
DC cannot regulate the federal government, but we can prepare our residents. The federal workers in DC are our neighbors. Free AI stations at libraries and career centers help them upskill. DCIA AI Track provides retraining. Our transition support applies when they move to private sector roles. And we will advocate fiercely for federal policies that mirror the RISE Act's protections.
"Why should companies share automation gains?"
Because workers created the value that made automation possible. Because decades of research show that gain-sharing increases productivity and reduces turnover. Because it is the right thing to do. And because DC will offer tax credits that offset much of the cost, making it a smart business decision, not just an ethical one. Companies that prefer to reinvest gains into DC operations, new hiring, or workforce development can do that instead — and maintain their eligibility for DC contracts.
"How is this different from what other candidates are proposing?"
Other candidates have mentioned AI in passing. They have made promises to make students "AI-ready" and "embrace technology that streamlines processes." The RISE Act is the only actual policy framework in this race: four titles of legislation, specific enforceable worker protections, a cost estimate, a phased implementation plan, and accountability mechanisms. There is a difference between a talking point and a plan.
What's Next
This page provides a high-level overview. We will continue refining the RISE Act with workers, employers, technologists, privacy advocates, educators, and residents across every ward. The implementing legislation will be developed in collaboration with the DC Council, the business community, educators, and labor organizations to ensure it holds up under scrutiny, works in practice, and delivers results.
"This is where it starts. The future is coming. Let's make sure DC is ready, and that every resident shares in what's ahead." — Gary Goodweather
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