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Meta cuts 8,000 jobs in sweeping global layoffs

Al Jazeera · May 20, 2026, 5:44 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • Meta cancels hiring plans for 6,000 roles amid ongoing layoffs and a pivot to artificial intelligence development.
  • The cuts, which began on Wednesday, are planned to occur in three waves, beginning at 4am local time for those affected, the Reuters news agency reported.
  • Workers in the United States will receive 16 weeks of severance pay, in addition to an extra two weeks for every year they have been employed at the company, representatives for Meta confirmed to Al Jazeera.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

Meta cancels hiring plans for 6,000 roles amid ongoing layoffs and a pivot to artificial intelligence development.

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Meta's stock remained relatively flat in midday trading [File: Yves Herman/ Reuters]By Andy Hirschfeld, AFP, AP and Reuters Published On 20 May 202620 May 2026Meta has launched a wave of layoffs that will affect 10 percent of the company’s global workforce, representing about 8,000 people.

The cuts, which began on Wednesday, are planned to occur in three waves, beginning at 4am local time for those affected, the Reuters news agency reported.

Article preview — originally published by Al Jazeera. Full story at the source.
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