“Technological Dismissal in Moroccan Labor Law: Between Legal Constraints and the Rise of Artificial Intelligence”

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) has profoundly transformed labor markets and organizational structures worldwide. In Morocco, dismissals resulting from technological transformations are legally framed within the broader regime of economic dismissal under Law No. 65-99 (Labor Code). This article critically examines the adequacy of the Moroccan legal framework governing technological dismissals in light of contemporary digital transitions.

Through a doctrinal and jurisprudential analysis centered on Moroccan labor law, the study highlights the protective nature of the existing system, particularly the requirement of administrative authorization, employee consultation, and redeployment obligations. However, it also identifies conceptual and practical limitations, especially regarding the qualification of technological motives linked to artificial intelligence, the evidentiary burden concerning causal relationships between innovation and job suppression, and the predominance of procedural rather than transitional safeguards.

While comparative references to French labor law and international labor standards are used as analytical support, the article maintains Moroccan law as its central focus. The findings suggest that although the Moroccan framework provides significant protection against abusive dismissals, it requires modernization to address structural digital transformations effectively. The study concludes by advocating for a clarified legal definition of technological dismissals, strengthened training and reconversion mechanisms, and an enhanced role for judicial interpretation to ensure a balanced reconciliation between economic competitiveness and worker protection in the AI era.