Meta recently fired approximately two dozen employees from its Los Angeles office for using company meal credits for non-food items, such as laundry detergent and acne treatment pads. The social media giant’s corporate offices often provide elaborate food services for employees, with some offices featuring upscale cafeterias and various food stalls. For smaller offices without these food services, Meta provides meal vouchers for employees to have food delivered to the office while working.
The meal vouchers were supposed to be used for meals while employees were working at the office, especially during long hours common in the tech industry. However, an internal investigation revealed that some LA-based employees were misusing the meal funds by purchasing non-food items or having meals delivered to their homes. The median total annual compensation for individual employees at Meta is $379,050, excluding CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The firings were reported by the Financial Times and took place last week.
Meta also announced layoffs across the company as part of various restructurings, with some teams making changes to align resources with long-term strategic goals and location strategy. The company is working to find other opportunities for impacted employees when roles are eliminated. The layoffs occurred across Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Reality Labs, which focuses on virtual reality and the metaverse. Well-known security researcher Jane Manchun Wong was among those laid off, having previously gained recognition for predicting new social media features.
Last year, Meta laid off over 20,000 employees in multiple rounds of cuts in an effort to address revenue declines and stagnating user growth. CEO Mark Zuckerberg referred to it as the company’s “year of efficiency.” Despite the layoffs, Meta’s shares have increased by nearly 80% from the previous year. The company did not disclose the exact number of employees laid off in the recent round of cuts, but confirmed that some employees were moved to different roles or locations as part of the restructuring efforts. Employees at Meta’s Los Angeles office were found to have used meal credits for non-food items, leading to their termination.
The company provides food services at its larger offices, with some locations featuring upscale cafeterias and various food stalls. For smaller offices without these services, Meta offers meal vouchers for employees to have food delivered while working. The internal investigation found that some employees in LA were misusing the meal funds, leading to their termination. Meta is working to realign resources and roles across the company to meet long-term strategic goals, resulting in layoffs across various departments.
The recent layoffs are part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and improve efficiency, following a year of revenue declines. The company’s shares have seen significant growth despite the layoffs. Prominent security researcher Jane Manchun Wong was among those laid off, having previously gained recognition for predicting new social media features. Meta has not disclosed the exact number of employees laid off in the recent round of cuts, but has stated that some employees were moved to different roles or locations as part of the restructuring.
