United States tech giant Meta plans 8,000 layoffs
PUBLISHED May 17, 2026, 6:18 AM ET
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SILICON VALLEY, California — Meta Platforms is preparing to cut about 8,000 employees, or roughly 10% of its global workforce, by Wednesday, May 20, 2026, according to multiple reports citing internal sources. The planned redundancies come despite Meta reporting what outlets describe as record financial results for the first quarter of 2026, including $56.31 billion in revenue and $26.8 billion in net income. Current and former employees say morale at the company’s Menlo Park headquarters has fallen to historically low levels, with staff recounting scenes from earlier layoff rounds in which workers packed bags with office snacks, drinks and chargers before their building access was shut off. Reports from anonymous staff on workplace forums indicate employees are closely watching their inboxes in the 72-hour run-up to May 20, waiting for early-morning termination emails. Some engineers have told reporters they now view Meta’s layoff terms, including 16 weeks of base pay and 18 months of paid healthcare, as an acceptable exit from what they describe as a high-stress, low-trust environment. Company executives have linked the cuts to rising spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure, and internal documents and media reports say Meta is investing heavily in AI tools that monitor employee activity and help automate parts of their work.
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Previous layoff cycle, earlier years, major workforce reductions executed
- Night before earlier cuts, employees stockpiled snacks, chargers
- Earlier layoffs, staff access cards deactivated overnight
- First quarter 2026, Meta reports strong financial performance
- Recent weeks, employees describe historically low morale
- This week, anonymous posts report renewed layoff panic
- Viral X post resurfaces earlier doomsday-like layoff scenes
- By May 20, 2026, Meta expected to cut 8,000 staff
News Intelligence
- If you or someone you know works at Meta, it's a tense time. The layoffs could affect 8,000 people. That's 10% of the workforce. It's a good reminder to always have a backup plan. Check your own job security today.
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