Whistleblower Claims Retaliation and Wrongful Termination Over Inflated AI Revenue Projections at Meta

An employee filed a complaint against tech giant Meta in a recent lawsuit, stating she received threats followed by dismissal for questioning company policies. Yuet-Peng Cheong claimed she received multiple retaliatory actions following her project concerns, which led to her termination despite her excellent performance as an employee. The employee filed her wrongful termination and retaliation complaint at San Francisco County Superior Court.

Cheong worked as a product manager at Meta for three years before moving to the Generative AI Division in August 2022. The lawsuit indicates that Cheong supported the development of AI since it became Meta’s primary focus. Her positive attitude turned negative after she spoke about organizational decisions that she considered wrong.

The social media giant spent substantial resources on AI development because of OpenAI’s ChatGPT success during this period. Cheong observed discrepancies in revenue projections that she believed were baseless during the time when the company expanded its operations. Her manager displayed anger and aggressive behavior toward her concerns instead of resolving the organizational issues.

According to the lawsuit, her supervisor told her to “stay in her lane” while ignoring her concerns. Following their incident, the supervisor started harassing Cheong by reducing her accomplishments and making her work environment unbearable. Senior leadership denied her access to meetings about generative AI projects and blocked her from participating in their future discussions. She also received a negative performance review.

Under California law, all employees receive protections when they report illegal or unethical workplace conduct. The law protects employees from workplace retaliation when they submit complaints about suspected federal or state law violations, including termination and other negative workplace actions.

California workplace protection laws apply to employees who report workplace issues even if the allegations prove untrue because the employee acted in good faith. Employees need to only show they believed the reported issue was illegal or violated company rules for legal protection. Protection from workplace retaliation continues for the employee when the report is made with genuine honesty along with the absence of malice or recklessness.

If you face workplace retaliation or wrongful termination in California it is crucial to seek legal help right away. McCormack Law Firm protects California workers’ rights through retaliation claims while we remain neutral to this specific Meta case. Our San Francisco employment lawyers at McCormack Law Firm stand ready to defend workers who face unfair targeting after speaking up at their workplace. Free case evaluations are available through our office. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.