Internal Meta memo shows how its performance-based cuts will work

• Meta is set to notify employees impacted by its performance-based job cuts on Monday.
• A leaked internal memo from an HR executive on Friday told staffers what to expect as cuts begin.
• Janelle Gale said impacted workers in more than a dozen countries outside the US will be notified.

An internal memo from a Meta human-resources executive told employees what to expect on Monday when the company starts its performance-based job cuts.

Janelle Gale, Meta's vice president of human resources, told staffers in a post on Meta's internal forum Workplace about "how the process will work and what to expect ahead of Monday," according to the memo, a copy of which was obtained by Business Insider.

Gale said impacted workers will be notified through an email to their work and personal addresses and they will lose access to company systems within an hour of being notified. They will receive information about their severance package in the same email.

"For teams that have a teammate or manager exit on Monday, I understand this might be a difficult day, and there could be some disruption and short-term impacts on your day to day work," Gale wrote.

"Managers might not yet have all the answers to your questions, but will be partnering with their leaders and working through these changes with you to provide additional clarity," she added.

According to the memo, employees in France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are exempt from the cuts "due to local regulations" and instead, the company will follow "local performance management processes."

Gale also detailed the times at which impacted employees based in different countries will be notified. She said, though, that some affected international employees in more than a dozen countries will be notified later than their US-based colleagues, between February 11 and February 18.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously told employees in an internal memo in January that he "decided to raise the bar on performance management" and act quickly to "move out low-performers." He said at the time that affected employees in the US would be notified on February 10.

Gale's memo also said that terminated employees can apply for a role after leaving Meta once the nonworking period and final employment date are over. However, Gale added that "past performance will be considered" in the decision.

All of the impacted employees will still receive their vesting stock due February 15, per the memo, along with a bonus if they are eligible, and any due dividend equivalents.

Meta didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Here's the full memo from Gale:

Performance Terminations on February 10

As we recently announced, company-wide performance terminations will take place on February 10 as part of the 2024 Performance@ cycle. I wanted to share more information about how the process will work and what to expect ahead of Monday.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Working from home

Our offices will be open, but anyone whose job allows is welcome to work from home on Monday. It will be automatically counted as In Person Time.

Employee Notifications

- 2/9 @ 1pm PT | 2/10 @ 5am SGP | APAC

• Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore

- 2/9 @ 9pm PT | 2/10 @ 5am GMT | EMEA

• Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Israel, Poland, Switzerland, UAE, UK
• Note: employees in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands will be exempt from this exercise due to local regulations and will follow local performance management processes, instead.

- 2/9 @ 5am PT | NORAM and LATAM

• Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, United States

- Timelines for some international notifications will vary. Impacted employees in these countries will be notified February 11-18.

• Czech Republic, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand

- Although notifications will largely go out on a set date and time per country, some notifications may be delayed due to reasons such as an employee being on a protected leave.

Process details

• Impacted employees in NORAM and the majority of impacted international employees will be notified by email, through both @meta.com and personal email addresses, and from that point will no longer be expected to work for Meta. Guidance will be provided where different country processes apply.
• Systems access will be removed for impacted employees within an hour of notifications.
• Severance package information will be sent to impacted employees as part of their notification emails. They will also receive a separate email to their personal email address with their Separation Agreement.

For teams that have a teammate or manager exit on Monday, I understand this might be a difficult day, and there could be some disruption and short-term impacts on your day to day work. Managers might not yet have all the answers to your questions, but will be partnering with their leaders and working through these changes with you to provide additional clarity.

I appreciate everyone's continued commitment and focus on the work ahead of us as we navigate these changes together.

FAQS

Will there be comms issued when notifications are finished?

• No, we will not be issuing any company wide comms.

Do we have a plan for backfilling the impacted roles?

• We intend to backfill impacted roles but org-level plans and timings for backfilling may vary.

How can I ensure Meta has the right personal email address for me?

• Please make sure your personal information is updated in Workday, including your personal email, phone number, and home address so we can communicate with those who lose system access.

What will this mean for employees whose manager has been terminated?

• Employees will see any change of manager reflected in the org chart. If your manager is terminated, your skip or newly assigned manager will reach out to you.

If I get terminated, am I eligible to reapply for another role?

• Anyone who is being terminated for low performance is not eligible to apply for an internal role change or reapply for a role at Meta during their non-working period between their notification date and final employment dates. After leaving Meta, anyone can apply for a role through the career page. As always, past performance will be considered while making a hiring decision.

Will terminated employees get their bonus and vesting?

• Everyone impacted will receive their February 15, 2025 vesting and any divided equivalents that are due, and will have the opportunity to receive their bonus if they are eligible for one.

Are we changing our reference policy for those exiting the business?

- No. Meta has a neural reference policy, which means that when a potential employer contacts Meta for a reference about a former employee, Meta will only disclose the dates of employment and the last or current position held by the employee.

Will we go through colleactive consultation in international locations?

• As this is a performance rather than efficiency based exercise, we do not anticipate any form of collective consultation taking place.

How can I get additional support?

• If you need support, mental health benefits are available globally through Lyra Mental Health, which provides 24/7 in-the-moment support, therapy and self-care tools.
  

Are you a Meta employee? Got insight to share? Contact the reporter Jyoti Mann via email at jmann@businessinsider.com or via Signal at jyotimann.11. Reach out from a nonwork device.