Meta Layoffs: Mark Zuckerberg Says 'Sorry', Firm Offers Immigration Help To H-1B Visa Holders | Top Points

Zuckerberg said the company will try to get all the relevant information to those impacted as quickly as possible and then do whatever it can to support them through this.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 10 Nov 2022 09:28 AM (IST)

Source : Getty

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who took accountability for letting go of 11,000 employees, which is 13 per cent of its total workforce, said he is ‘sorry’ for the actions in a post and acknowledged difficulties for employees on a visa and expressed support to them.

In his post, Musk added, "I want to take accountability for these decisions and for how we got here. I know this is tough for everyone, and I’m especially sorry to those impacted." The mass layoff is the first broad head-count reduction to occur in Meta's (earlier Facebook) 18-year history. The Facebook and Instagram parent company reported over 87,000 employees (as of September).

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"I've decided to reduce the size of our team by about 13 per cent and let more than 11,000 of our talented employees go. We are also taking a number of additional steps to become a leaner and more efficient company by cutting discretionary spending and extending our hiring freeze through Q1," Zuckerberg mentioned to employees.

Zuckerberg also said the company would try to get all the relevant information to those impacted as quickly as possible and then do whatever it can to support them through this. "This is a sad moment, and there’s no way around that. To those who are leaving, I want to thank you again for everything you’ve put into this place.

"To those who are staying, I know this is a difficult time for you too. Not only are we saying goodbye to people we’ve worked closely with, but many of you also feel uncertainty about the future. I want you to know that we’re making these decisions to make sure our future is strong," the CEO added.

Here’s what Meta plans to offer employees

Meta employees on work visas such as H-1Bs are faced with uncertainties over their immigration status as the US-based technology companies hire a large number of workers, the majority of whom come from countries such as India. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

If H-1B visa holders lose their jobs, they only have a "grace period" of 60 days to find an employee willing to sponsor their H-1B, failing which they will be required to leave the US, reported news agency PTI.

Among the measures taken by the company in the US to help those impacted by the layoffs is "immigration support".

"There’s a notice period before termination and some visa grace periods, which means everyone will have time to make plans and work through their immigration status. We have dedicated immigration specialists to help guide you based on what you and your family need," he added.

Other support measures from Meta include severance pay for 16 weeks of base pay plus two additional weeks for every year of service, with no cap; coverage of healthcare costs for people and their families for six months.

It will also pay employees for all remaining paid time off.

Meta will also provide three months of career support with an external vendor, including early access to unpublished job leads.