Meta sued by 26 ex-employees over alleged AI-driven layoff bias

A group of 26 former Meta Platforms employees has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, claiming its reliance on artificial intelligence for evaluating layoffs discriminates against individuals with disabilities, medical leaves, and pregnant employees. The lawsuit was lodged in the US District Court in Oakland, California, and cites concerns over AI-driven performance metrics, including productivity levels and AI token usage, which the plaintiffs argue unfairly penalized those who required time off for health reasons. The anonymous plaintiffs assert that these criteria led to biased layoff decisions, violating both federal and state laws designed to protect employees from discrimination and retaliation. The former employees hail from various states, including California, New York, and the District of Columbia. Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to reduce its global workforce by approximately 10%, impacting nearly 8,000 jobs, with the first wave of layoffs commencing in May. The lawsuit claims that the metrics used in the layoff evaluations disproportionately affected those who could not maintain expected productivity due to sanctioned medical absences. The plaintiffs argue that the AI metrics failed to adequately consider legitimate medical leaves, resulting in unfair outcomes during the layoffs. In response, a Meta spokesperson denied the allegations, asserting that decisions regarding workforce management are made by human personnel, not automated systems. This legal action highlights the increasing concerns surrounding the application of artificial intelligence in workplace decision-making. Experts warn that companies must ensure their AI systems comply with anti-discrimination legislation and undergo regular assessments to prevent unfair disadvantages to protected groups.