Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently fired around two dozen employees from its Los Angeles office for misusing company meal credits, CNN reported.
These employees allegedly used the meal vouchers, meant for food during work hours, to purchase non-food items such as laundry detergent, wine glasses, and acne treatment pads.
Many of Meta’s offices offer free meals as a perk, with some locations, like the New York City office near Penn Station, featuring upscale food courts for employees.
However, smaller offices without food services receive meal vouchers, allowing staff to order food while working long hours.
Employees in these offices are allocated $20 for breakfast and $25 each for lunch and dinner.
An internal investigation revealed that some employees in Los Angeles used these vouchers to buy personal items or have meals delivered to their homes, violating company policy.
As a result, the company terminated those involved.
The firings come as Meta, whose median employee compensation is $379,050, is undergoing broader restructuring efforts.
Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton stated that teams across the company are adjusting resources to align with long-term goals, which has included shifting teams, roles, and in some cases, eliminating positions.
While Meta did not specify how many employees were laid off, the cuts have affected teams across Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Reality Labs.
Among those laid off was Jane Manchun Wong, a well-known security researcher who joined Meta in 2023 after gaining recognition for predicting new social media features.
Last year, Meta laid off over 20,000 employees as part of its “year of efficiency” initiative, aimed at reversing revenue declines and stagnating user growth. Since then, the company’s stock has risen nearly 80%.
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