Meta layoffs: Employees cry foul, claim they were targeted for taking leaves

Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, has initiated another round of job cuts, targeting a 5% reduction in its global workforce, as per media reports.

The layoffs, which impact roughly 3,600 employees across Europe, Asia, and the United States, were first reported by Business Insider.

In an internal memo, Meta maintained that the decision was based solely on performance, dismissing those who failed to meet the company's expectations.

However, the explanation has sparked significant dissent among former employees. Elana Reman Safar, a product counsel with over three years at MetaWorks, became one of the most vocal critics after her recent layoff.

Based in Washington, D.C., Safner took to social media to refute Meta's claim that her termination was performance-related.

Instead, she described herself as "collateral damage" of what she called Mark Zuckerberg's "newfound masculine energy," referencing controversial remarks made by the Meta CEO during a podcast with Joe Rogan.

Read more: Tech shake-up: Major layoffs and restructuring in 2025

Safner, who returned from a six-month maternity leave only weeks before the layoff, expressed disbelief at the decision. "Meta laid me off yesterday in its 'performance-based' layoffs, and I was blindsided," she wrote. Emphasizing her consistent performance, she noted, "I have never received a review below "Meets All" in my 3+ years at Meta, and I was on maternity leave for six months until November."

The former employee also alleged that Meta’s layoffs disproportionately affected those who had taken recent leaves, a claim that challenges the company’s public narrative. “It is very hard to believe that – despite Meta indicating my expectations are prorated – I did not do enough. Many laid off today have similar stories – a history of good performance, and a recent leave of absence,” Safner added.

Safner’s statement did not shy away from critiquing broader aspects of Meta’s leadership and corporate culture. She listed what she would not miss about her time at Meta, including the company’s rigid career trajectory, exhaustive internal processes like 34-page one-pagers, and decisions driven by what she described as “Zuck’s newfound ‘masculine energy’.”

This latest round of layoffs comes on the heels of another significant strategic shift at Meta, following the termination of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programme. This move, which coincided with the election of Donald Trump as US President, is seen by some as part of a broader corporate emphasis on operational efficiency over social initiatives.

Read more: Meta layoffs: 3000 employees to lose their jobs as Facebook-owner initiates company-wide layoffs