Mumbai, March 25: Meta is facing a new legal challenge after a former high-ranking executive filed a lawsuit alleging that the social media giant’s recent workforce reductions disproportionately targeted older employees. Nicolas Franchet, who served as the Senior Director of Monetization Analytics, filed the complaint in the San Francisco County Superior Court, claiming his termination in 2025 was a result of age discrimination rather than performance.

The legal action follows Meta’s decision to terminate approximately 5% of its workforce last year, a move the company categorised as a cut of its “lowest performers.” Franchet, a 13-year veteran of the company, argues that the selection process for these layoffs was statistically biased against staff members over the age of 40. Epic Games Layoffs: Fortnite Creator to Announce Job Cuts Affecting 1,000 Employees.

Meta Layoffs: Statistical Disparities in Workforce Reductions

According to the lawsuit, data provided by Meta to its departing staff reveals a significant age-related gap in layoff rates. The filing claims that employees aged 40 and older were 1.5 times more likely to be included in the layoffs compared to those under 40.

The disparity allegedly widened for more senior staff, with the lawsuit stating that employees aged 50 and older were 2.5 times as likely to be terminated as their younger colleagues. Franchet’s legal team argues these figures suggest a systemic bias in how the company identified which roles to eliminate during its broader business "reset."

Nicolas Franchet Argument Point of Meta Layoffs in 2025

A central point of Franchet’s argument is the contrast between his sudden termination and his recent performance history. He alleges he was "suspiciously" labelled a low performer despite a decade of strong reviews. The lawsuit highlights that just six months prior to his dismissal, Franchet had received an "At or Above Expectations" rating.

Furthermore, the complaint cites a restricted stock unit award Franchet received in 2023, which was reportedly accompanied by a personal note from CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The message allegedly stated that the award was reserved for a "very small number of people" whose "meaningful impact" had been recognised by the highest levels of leadership.

Financial Impact and Legal Remedies

The financial implications of the layoff are substantial. Franchet claims that the termination resulted in the loss of approximately USD 12 million in equity, as the majority of his restricted stock units were scheduled to vest over the subsequent three-year period. Harley-Davidson Layoffs: US-Based Motorcycle Maker Cuts Jobs Amid Slow Demand and 26% Profit Decline.

The former director is now seeking both compensatory and punitive damages from the California-based tech giant. Meta has yet to provide a detailed public response to the specific allegations regarding the statistical breakdown of the 2025 layoffs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2026 09:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).