Meta Platforms is currently embroiled in a legal battle initiated by several employees who assert that the company’s use of artificial intelligence systems in identifying workers for layoffs has led to biased decisions, disproportionately impacting those on maternity leave, medical leave, and employees with disabilities. The lawsuit, which was filed in a California federal court, accuses the tech giant of employing AI-driven performance ratings and employee activity data to decide which staff members would be laid off during a recent workforce reduction affecting approximately 8,000 employees.
According to the lawsuit, Meta utilized its internal AI systems to evaluate and rank employees, deviating from the traditional reliance on managers’ assessments. The plaintiffs argue that this approach failed to consider approved periods of leave, resulting in unfairly low performance scores for employees who had taken family or medical leave or those who were granted disability accommodations. The case highlights several personal stories, including that of a scientist who received notice of her dismissal just two days before she was due to give birth. Similarly, an engineer recovering from an injury claims his performance rating suffered due to his absence, and a manager on medical leave alleges he was laid off shortly after his leave commenced.
The plaintiffs are seeking judicial intervention to pause the layoffs while the case is under review. They are demanding reinstatement, compensation for lost wages and benefits, and an independent examination of Meta’s AI systems. The lawsuit has surfaced amid increasing concerns about the role of AI in workplace decision-making processes, with critics cautioning that such automated systems might introduce bias against employees exercising their rights to legally protected leave.
Meta, meanwhile, has refuted the allegations, maintaining that decisions regarding workforce and organizational changes are made by humans rather than by artificial intelligence systems. The company’s stance is part of a broader dialogue about the implications of AI use in corporate environments, particularly in areas affecting human resources and employee welfare.