Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Discrimination in Layoffs

Lawsuit Filed by Former Meta Employees

A group of 26 former employees has initiated legal action against Meta, claiming that the company utilized AI-driven software that unfairly targeted individuals with disabilities or those on medical leave during recent mass layoffs. This lawsuit was lodged in a federal court in Oakland, California, and it asserts that Meta's decision-making process was influenced by factors like productivity metrics and AI token usage, which adversely affected employees who were absent due to health issues.

The plaintiffs, who are remaining anonymous, allege that Meta has breached both federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination against workers with disabilities, those taking medical leave, or pregnant employees, according to reports. The group includes individuals from six different states, including California and New York, as well as the District of Columbia.

A spokesperson for Meta responded to the allegations on Tuesday, stating that the claims are unfounded and emphasized that workforce management decisions are made by individuals, not AI. The parent company of Facebook previously announced plans to reduce its workforce by 10 percent, which translates to approximately 6,000 positions, as part of a strategy to allocate more resources towards its expanding AI initiatives. At the end of 2025, Meta employed over 78,000 individuals.

In an internal memo, Janelle Gale, Meta's chief people officer, conveyed the news to employees without any euphemisms. Additionally, a Meta employee based in Singapore gained significant attention online after recounting the abrupt end of his nearly ten-year tenure at the company. Gary Tay, who served as an AdTech Business Support Engineer, shared on LinkedIn that he was laid off just one day after completing the onboarding and training of a new colleague.