Twenty-six employees of Meta Platforms have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using artificial intelligence-powered software to unfairly target staff for mass layoffs, particularly those with disabilities or who took sick leave. The lawsuit, filed on July 13 in federal court in Oakland, California, alleges that Meta relied on AI-assisted systems to score and rank employees, disproportionately affecting protected workers.
Allegations of AI-Driven Discrimination
The plaintiffs claim that Meta used internal tools such as 'Metamate', a large language model assistant, and an employee-trained 'second brain' that tracked communications and documents. The company also allegedly generated productivity scores by scanning keystrokes, screen content, emails, and browser history. According to the 71-page filing, 'The result was that employees who took protected leaves were disproportionately selected for layoff, based on scoring that not only failed to account for their protected leaves, but in effect penalised the employees for exercising their legal rights to these leaves.'
Among the plaintiffs is a scientist who was on approved pre-natal maternity leave and was notified of her layoff just two days before giving birth. An engineer claimed he received a low ranking due to sick leave taken for an injury. The employees argue that Meta's actions violate federal and state laws banning discrimination or retaliation against workers with disabilities, those on medical leave, or pregnant employees.
Legal Challenge and Temporary Relief Request
The employees were informed in May that their jobs would be cut starting July 22. Before that date, they are asking the court to block Meta from completing the layoffs while they pursue their claims privately. Meta's employee agreements typically require workers to handle disputes individually, but the plaintiffs argue this does not apply to their request for temporary relief. They also claim Meta failed to test its AI systems for bias, violating recently adopted California and New York City laws.
The 26 plaintiffs are based across six states, including California and New York. This lawsuit is believed to be the first to challenge the alleged use of AI in conducting layoffs.
Meta's Response and Broader Context
A Meta spokesperson told Metro: 'These claims lack merit and are not based on fact. Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI.' Meta laid off around 10% of its global workforce in May, affecting nearly 8,000 employees. Reuters previously reported that the company was planning more cuts, a claim CEO Mark Zuckerberg has since denied.
The lawsuit claims Meta launched the monitoring programme through a 'low visibility internal post – made by an engineer rather than a senior leader'. It adds: 'On at least some teams, employees received no consent or acknowledgement prompt at all, and, at least initially, there was no way to opt out.'
Growing Scrutiny of AI in the Workplace
The legal implications of using AI to make key workplace decisions have attracted increasing scrutiny over privacy and trust concerns. States such as California, Colorado, and Illinois have passed regulations in recent years to protect workers from AI-related bias and 'automated decision systems'. This case highlights the ongoing debate about the role of AI in employment decisions and the need for transparency and fairness.
