Source: The Guardian

Dozens of employees allege Meta used a “constellation of internal artificial intelligence systems” — including AI performance ratings and keystroke- and activity-monitoring data — to score, rank and select workers for inclusion in a layoff list tied to a workforce reduction of about 8,000 employees earlier this year. Twenty-six workers are named in a 71‑page federal complaint filed in the northern district of California alleging that those AI-driven scores failed to account for protected family or medical leave and in effect penalised employees who took such leave. The plaintiffs seek a preliminary court ruling to stop Meta from finalizing the layoffs and request remedies including reinstatement, back pay, lost equity, benefits and other damages.

The complaint says Meta introduced an employee-monitoring program designed to capture keystrokes, mouse activity, browser history, messages, emails and location data on company devices and that the program was quietly launched without employee buy-in. It cites examples including a scientist who was on approved pre-birth pregnancy leave and was notified of layoff two days before giving birth, an engineer who received a lowered rating after time off for an injury, and a manager let go 16 days into medical leave. Plaintiffs’ lawyers request an independent audit and other relief, note that the named workers remain employees until 22 July when termination is set to begin, and say they have sought anonymity and preservation of employment status while arbitration proceeds. Meta has disputed the allegations, stating decisions were made by people and calling the claims without merit; the summary also notes employee backlash led Zuckerberg to pause the monitoring program in June after more than 1,600 employees signed a petition.