Meta has dismissed about twenty employees for allegedly misusing the company’s food credit system, just days before the firm’s planned restructuring. This move is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ongoing “efficiency improvement plan.”
The $15 billion social media company found some employees using their $25 meal credits for purchasing household items like acne pads, wine glasses, and laundry detergent. This restructuring will affect departments such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs, which focus on augmented and virtual reality.
Similar to other large tech companies, Meta provides its employees with free meals as a perk. In some cases, employees working in smaller offices without cafeterias receive food credits through services like Uber Eats or Grubhub. Allegedly, some employees pooled these credits or ordered meals for home delivery, violating company policies. While minor infractions led to warnings, persistent misuse resulted in dismissals.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously announced a two-round layoff plan, affecting about 21,000 people in 2022 and 2023, labeling these years as the “years of efficiency.” He has also curtailed lower-priority projects to boost growth and pacify investor concerns over the substantial investments in the metaverse.
