Twenty-six former employees of Meta Platforms have filed a lawsuit alleging the tech giant used artificial intelligence to unfairly discriminate in its recent layoff decisions. The suit, lodged anonymously in the US District Court in Oakland, California, claims Meta's AI-assisted performance metrics disproportionately impacted employees with disabilities, those who took medical leave, and pregnant workers.
Allegations of AI-Driven Discrimination
The plaintiffs contend that Meta's evaluation process, which included metrics like productivity levels and AI token usage, placed workers who had taken approved time off at a disadvantage. According to the complaint, these criteria failed to account for legitimate absences protected under employment laws, leading to biased outcomes during the workforce reduction.
The lawsuit alleges violations of both federal and state employment laws that prohibit discrimination and retaliation against employees exercising their rights to medical leave or those with disabilities. The group of former employees spans several US states, including California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Meta's Workforce Reductions and Response
Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to cut approximately 10% of its global workforce, impacting nearly 8,000 employees. The lawsuit specifically targets the evaluation process used during these layoffs, arguing that it unfairly penalized individuals who could not maintain consistent productivity due to medical conditions or pregnancy.
In response to the allegations, a Meta spokesperson stated,
"Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI."The company has rejected the claims, asserting they are "without merit."
Growing Scrutiny on AI in HR
This case adds to increasing legal and ethical scrutiny surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in workplace decision-making. As companies increasingly adopt automated tools for performance assessment, hiring, and layoffs, legal experts emphasize the necessity for these AI systems to comply with anti-discrimination laws and undergo regular evaluations to prevent unfair disadvantages to protected groups.