A California federal judge has dealt a blow to Meta’s legal defense, refusing to dismiss a proposed class action that accuses the tech giant of systematically favoring H-1B visa holders over U.S. citizens in hiring. The decision, issued Tuesday, marks a significant step forward for the plaintiffs, who claim they were unfairly sidelined despite being qualified for positions.
A Battle Over Hiring Practices and Alleged Bias
In a 22-page ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler denied Meta’s motion to toss out the lawsuit, which was filed by three U.S. citizens—Purushothaman Rajaram, Ekta Bhatia, and Qun Wang. They allege Meta discriminates against American workers in favor of hiring H-1B visa holders, a practice they argue allows the company to secure cheaper labor.
The judge also rejected Meta’s attempt to strike portions of the complaint referencing a 2020 U.S. Department of Justice investigation, which accused the company of similar hiring bias. That case ended in a $14 million settlement, though Meta admitted no wrongdoing.
At the heart of the lawsuit is a striking statistic: while H-1B visa holders make up only 0.5% of the U.S. workforce, they constitute 15% of Meta’s employees. The plaintiffs argue this disparity reflects a deliberate pattern of discrimination against American job seekers.
