Former Meta employees sue over use of AI in layoff decisions
Written by AI from carltonfields.com's report. Not checked by a person.
Twenty-six former Meta employees allege the company used AI tools to pick people for a mass layoff, disproportionately affecting disabled workers and those on protected leave. A federal judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order.
Twenty-six former Meta employees filed a lawsuit on July 13, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. They allege Meta used artificial intelligence tools to select workers for a May 2026 reduction in force, in which the company said it would lay off about 8,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce. The suit says Meta relied on a "constellation of internal artificial intelligence systems," including an agent called "Metamate." The plaintiffs claim these tools tracked, scored and ranked data such as keystrokes, emails, documents, browser history and AI token usage.
According to the plaintiffs, Meta did not suspend these measures for employees on protected leave or account for medical conditions or family care. They say this had a disparate impact on disabled workers and those who took leave. Meta denies the allegations and says "human business leaders" made the decisions.
The claims arise under the FMLA, Title VII, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and state civil rights laws. Because Meta requires arbitration agreements, the merits of the cases are expected to be decided in individual, confidential arbitration. On July 17, 2026, Judge William H. Orrick denied the plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order, allowing the layoffs to proceed. A hearing on their motion for a preliminary injunction is set for August 24, 2026.
The source says the case highlights the risks of AI-assisted employment decisions and advises employers to evaluate their data and test it for bias.
