Meta employees are fired for improper use of food credit

According to the Financial Times, the company Meta recently fired around 20 employees in Los Angeles, in the United States, for improperly using a benefit similar to food stamps to buy other types of products.

Layoffs at Meta

The benefit of US$25 per day was made available through credits on delivery apps for those employees who worked in facilities without cafeterias or at night, so they could buy food during working hours.

The fired employees, who were mainly part of teams linked to Whatsapp and Instagram, used the benefit to buy other types of products, such as alcoholic beverages and cosmetics, violating company rules. Those who misused credit for a short period of time only received warnings from their superiors.

The incident sparked discussions within the company, as many employees considered the decisions drastic, raising questions among those who are not satisfied with Meta's benefits policy.

The misuse of benefits can also lead to dismissals for just cause in Brazil and, in more serious situations, can even qualify as embezzlement under national laws.

Reducing Target costs

Recently, the company's founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced a series of changes that aim to cut unnecessary expenses and increase the efficiency of Meta's operations.

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_{Mark Zuckerberg (Photo: reproduction/ Bloomberg /Gatty Images Embed)}

Layoffs in various sectors of the company have been happening for some time, especially after 2022, generating speculation whether such recent layoffs were not just part of the new restructuring proposed by Mark Zuckerberg, as a way of aligning the company's strategies and reorganizing teams.

“Today, some Meta teams are making changes to ensure resources are aligned with their long-term strategic goals. This includes moving some teams to different locations and reassigning some employees to new roles.”said Dave Arnold, a Meta spokesman.

In 2022, around 11,000 employees were laid off, and in 2023, 10,000.

Featured photo: Fachada da Meta (Reproduction/Skorzewiak/Shutterstock/Olhar digital)