A lawsuit filed in federal court accuses Meta Platforms of using AI-powered software to target specific staff for mass layoffs, disproportionately affecting employees with disabilities and those who took sick leave.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 26 employees, claims that Meta used internal AI-assisted systems to score and rank employees, and relied on factors such as productivity and monitored workers' activity to decide which employees to dismiss.
One of the plaintiffs, a scientist, alleges she was on approved pre-natal maternity leave when she was notified of her layoff, just two days before giving birth. Another plaintiff, an engineer, claims he received a low ranking due to the sick leave he took for an injury.
A manager was 16 days into his medical leave before he was let go, he alleged. The plaintiffs argue that Meta's use of AI systems resulted in employees who took protected leaves being disproportionately selected for layoff.
The lawsuit claims that Meta used tools such as 'Metamate', a large language model assistant, and an employee-trained 'second brain' which tracked workers' communications and documents. Meta also allegedly generated productivity scores via scanning keystrokes, screen content, emails, and browser history.
The plaintiffs were told in May that their jobs would be cut starting from July 22. They are asking the court to block Meta from completing the layoffs while they privately pursue their claims.
Meta's employee agreements require workers to deal with workplace disputes individually, but the employees say this does not apply to their request for temporary relief. The plaintiffs accuse Meta of violating federal and state laws banning discrimination or retaliation against workers who have disabilities, take medical leave, or are pregnant.
They also claim that Meta failed to test its AI systems for bias in violation of recently adopted California and New York City law. A Meta spokesperson said the claims 'lack merit' and are not based on fact.
The lawsuit is thought to be the first to challenge the alleged use of AI in conducting layoffs. Meta laid off around 10% of its global workforce in May, affecting nearly 8,000 employees.
The changes come as Meta increases its AI investments and makes AI the focus of its product offerings and its internal approach to work. The legal implications of using AI to make key decisions in the workplace have attracted increasing scrutiny over fears surrounding privacy and trust.
