AI Scheduling System Sparks Backlash at LanguageLine Solutions
Interpreters at LanguageLine Solutions are pushing back after the company rolled out an AI-powered scheduling system in 2025, leading to drastically reduced and unpredictable work hours.
The Core Issue
Workers experienced a sharp decline in hours and income after the company adopted NiCE, an AI-driven workforce management software. The system, designed to forecast call volumes and determine schedules, has led to what employees describe as "mandatory involuntary time off"—coded internally as "AEX"—often communicated with very short notice.
- One worker's income dropped 18% between 2024 and 2025.
- A part-time employee saw their pay fall by over 70%.
The company also enforced a 15-second mandatory break between calls, eliminating the flexible downtime workers previously relied upon.
Company's Response
In a statement, LanguageLine Solutions attributed the disruptions to industry headwinds and lower-than-expected call volumes. The company emphasized that the software is a forecasting tool, not a job-cutting measure, and that it is piloting AI for "routine repetitive tasks" without intending to eliminate positions.
"We absolutely and categorically do not want this for our interpreters," the company stated, adding that it has a health and safety committee and is actively adjusting the system.
Workers Fight Back
Frustrated by the instability, some interpreters are now attempting to unionize with the Communications Workers of America.
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine has weighed in, calling on LanguageLine to respect workers' unionization rights. He noted that the city is "reviewing contracts" with the company.
Workers report difficulty finding alternative employment, citing a non-compete clause in the company's code of conduct that restricts their ability to work for competitors.
Broader Context
Algorithmic scheduling tools have become widespread across hourly-work industries over the past decade, often used to minimize labor costs.
- In 2015, New York's Attorney General investigated major retailers for similar practices, which led to the passage of "Fair Workweek Laws" in several jurisdictions.
- Harvard researcher Daniel Schneider described such software as a means of "transferring business uncertainty to workers."
LanguageLine Solutions is owned by Teleperformance, a global company that previously reached an agreement with a labor federation over employee surveillance practices.
Key Takeaway
While the company maintains it did not intend to harm workers, the implementation of AI-driven scheduling has left many interpreters with unpredictable hours and sharply reduced earnings—and some are organizing to demand change.