California: Twenty-six current and former employees have filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, alleging the company relied on artificial intelligence systems during a recent round of layoffs that unfairly affected workers with disabilities, medical conditions, or approved leave.
The case, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, is being closely watched because it raises questions about the role of AI in workplace decisions. Meta has denied the allegations, stating that employment decisions are made by human managers, not artificial intelligence.
Employees Challenge Layoff Process
According to the complaint, the employees allege Meta evaluated staff using internal scoring systems that considered factors such as performance, productivity, and the use of AI tools.
The plaintiffs claim these systems disproportionately affected employees who had taken medical leave or time away from work due to illness, disability, pregnancy, or family responsibilities. They are seeking a preliminary injunction to delay the layoffs while their claims proceed through private arbitration.
The lawsuit states that the affected employees received layoff notices in May and are scheduled to leave the company on July 22.
Meta Rejects Allegations
Meta has dismissed the claims, saying the lawsuit lacks merit.
A company spokesperson said workforce decisions are made by people rather than AI systems and that managers oversee all organizational and employment decisions.
Internal AI Tools Named in Court Filing
According to the court filing, the employees allege Meta used several internal systems while preparing workforce rankings and layoff lists. These reportedly included an AI assistant known as Metamate, an internal knowledge platform called Second Brain, and a productivity scoring system that analyzed factors such as keyboard activity, screen usage, emails, and browser history.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and the legal proceedings are ongoing.
Wider Debate Over AI in the Workplace
Reuters reported that the case is believed to be one of the first major lawsuits in the United States alleging that artificial intelligence played a role in employee layoff decisions.
Meta announced earlier this year that it would reduce its global workforce by around 10%, affecting approximately 8,000 employees, as part of broader organizational changes and increased investment in artificial intelligence.
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