Twenty-six Meta employees have filed a federal lawsuit against the company, accusing it of using internal AI systems to single out workers who took protected leave for mass layoffs. The suit, brought in U.S. District Court, claims Meta's algorithms flagged employees based on their use of medical or family leave, then selected them for termination during company-wide cuts.
How the AI allegedly worked
According to the complaint, Meta deployed a proprietary AI tool to evaluate and rank employees during layoff rounds. The system allegedly pulled data from internal records, including leave requests, and gave lower scores to workers who had taken time off under federal or state leave laws. Those lower scores, the plaintiffs argue, made them more likely to be cut. The employees say they were never told that their leave status would be used against them.
Protected leave and the law
Federal law, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who take job-protected leave for serious health conditions, family care, or military family needs. The lawsuit contends that Meta's use of AI to factor in leave data amounts to illegal retaliation. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for lost wages, benefits, and emotional distress, as well as a court order blocking Meta from using the AI system in future layoffs.
Meta's layoff history
Meta has cut thousands of jobs over the past two years as part of a broader cost-cutting drive. The company has described the layoffs as necessary to streamline operations and focus on AI and the metaverse. But the new lawsuit adds a legal dimension to those cuts, alleging that the process was not only painful but unlawful. The employees say they were blindsided when they were let go, only later learning that their leave history had been a factor.
What happens next
The case is in its early stages. Meta has not yet filed a response. The company did not immediately reply to a request for comment. A hearing on the plaintiffs' request for class certification is expected in the coming months. If granted, the suit could cover hundreds of former Meta workers who took protected leave before being laid off.
