In a bold move that could reshape the narrative around workplace equality in tech, Meta finds itself embroiled in a lawsuit alleging systemic sexism. Jeffrey Smith, an engineer who joined Meta in 2018, filed a complaint in a New York district court, accusing the tech giant of promoting less qualified men over more qualified female employees and retaliating against those who speak out.

Smith’s journey into advocacy began in the summer of 2023, triggered by witnessing a highly capable female colleague’s role being downsized during a company reorganization. Her responsibilities were redistributed to two male employees, one of whom Smith deemed significantly less experienced and unfit for the role. This incident propelled Smith into action, leading him to repeatedly raise concerns about perceived sexist management practices to Meta’s human resources and leadership.

The situation escalated when Smith discovered that a Meta research scientist, Ran Rubin, allegedly evaluated a high-performing female employee’s work more critically than that of her male counterparts. Rubin’s comments about the women lacked any substantial evidence, despite their significant experience and clean records. Three women specifically complained about Rubin’s poor management and advocacy for placing white men in supervisory roles over women.

Smith’s advocacy reached a critical point when he received his first-ever negative performance review, which his manager, Sacha Arnaud, delivered informally without incorporating employee feedback—a highly unusual step that reduced Smith’s bonus payout and impacted his company stock. Feeling “punished almost immediately,” Smith experienced emotional distress and economic injury from this alleged retaliation.

In October 2023, despite feeling intimidated and having paused his reports of mistreatment for a short period, Smith resumed his criticism of Meta’s allegedly sexist practices. He couldn’t stay silent any longer, especially as he noticed that some women had left the company due to perceived unequal treatment. Smith felt compelled to voice his concerns that managers like Rubin were driving women away from Meta by treating them unfairly.

Weeks later, Smith received a negative annual performance review, yet he continued to raise alarms when he learned a junior white man was being considered for a research science manager role, despite the availability of more qualified female candidates. His manager’s response was dismissive, questioning the productivity of Smith’s feedback. Subsequently, Smith faced increased hostility, including being yelled at and insulted by another employee accused of disrespecting women, and experiencing a sudden negative impact on his performance review for taking previously approved time off.

Ultimately, Smith’s complaints about Rubin and the broader culture at Meta were left unaddressed. Instead, his manager suggested that he look for a new job within the company and later advised him to consider resigning. This led Smith to file a lawsuit, hoping a jury will see that Meta violated anti-retaliation and anti-interference laws. Smith seeks civil and punitive damages for harm to his professional and personal reputation and the loss of career fulfillment, and aims to prevent further mistreatment of women at Meta.

Valdi Licul, Smith’s attorney, emphasized the broader implications of the case, stating, “This is yet another example of how major corporations fail to address sexist cultures and attempt to silence those who speak out. We look forward to holding Meta accountable and making it clear that sexism has no place in the workforce.”

Meta has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit, but the case shines a spotlight on the critical need for equitable treatment and accountability in the tech industry.