Lawsuit in Oakland alleges Meta used AI systems in layoffs to disadvantage workers with disabilities and medical conditions

Twenty-six Meta employees filed a lawsuit on Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, accusing the company of using AI-assisted systems in a layoff process in a way that allegedly disadvantaged workers with disabilities and other medical conditions, including those who were pregnant or had family-care responsibilities, according to the complaint report.

The plaintiffs are identified as Meta employees proceeding anonymously. The lawsuit alleges that AI was used to assist with the layoff process and that the system’s operation, as used by Meta, created an uneven impact on people who have disabilities, medical conditions, pregnancy-related circumstances, or family-care responsibilities, the report said.

The complaint is characterized in the reporting as challenging the fairness of the layoff process where AI was part of the selection or evaluation process, with the employees arguing the approach did not provide equitable treatment to workers in the categories they say were targeted or disproportionately affected.

The filing’s account indicates the workers are seeking legal relief over what they allege was an AI-involved employment decision that harmed protected groups. It also raises questions about how such tools are deployed in workforce reductions and what safeguards exist when algorithmic systems are used to inform personnel decisions.

Meta has not been quoted in the reporting provided for this story, and the company’s response to the allegations was not included in the available record. The case’s next steps will depend on the complaint’s specific legal claims and the court’s procedural schedule for motions and responses.

The suit in Oakland, a federal venue within California, places the dispute inside the U.S. system of civil litigation where the company will have opportunities to challenge the allegations through filings such as a motion to dismiss and later proceedings that could include discovery and evidentiary hearings.

For employers, the dispute underscores a broader legal and regulatory focus on employment practices that affect workers with disabilities and on the use of algorithmic tools in personnel decisions, including how such systems are validated, monitored, and justified when workers allege discriminatory or unfair effects.