Meta Platforms is facing a lawsuit from 26 former employees who claim the company used AI-assisted evaluation systems that unfairly targeted workers with disabilities, medical conditions, or caregiving responsibilities during this year’s layoffs.
The case was filed in a federal court in Oakland, California. The plaintiffs argue that Meta relied on AI-based performance measures, including productivity scores and AI tool usage, while selecting employees for job cuts. They claim these systems placed workers who had taken medical leave or family leave at a disadvantage.
The employees, who were informed in May that their jobs would end from July 22, are seeking a court order to temporarily stop the layoffs while their claims proceed through private arbitration.
Meta has denied the allegations. A company spokesperson said workforce decisions were made by managers and not by artificial intelligence. The company described the claims as lacking merit.
The lawsuit also alleges that Meta violated federal and state laws that protect employees from discrimination based on disability, pregnancy, or approved medical leave. It further claims the company failed to test its AI-assisted systems for potential bias, as required under certain California and New York City regulations.
According to the complaint, Meta used several internal AI tools to help evaluate employees. These reportedly included the “Metamate” AI assistant, an internal knowledge system, and productivity scores generated from workplace activity data.
The lawsuit is considered one of the first major legal challenges in the United States to question the role of AI-assisted systems in large-scale corporate layoffs.