[France] Meta becomes latest tech giant to offer voluntary exit packages to employees

Meta has become the latest tech giant to offer voluntary exit packages, after it approached around 100 employees in France with a proposed severance package. It includes 2.15 months' salary for each year of service, People Matters reports.

According to reporting from La Lettre, Meta has joined Microsoft and Google in offering employees voluntary exit options as global tech giants continue to restructure their workforces amid rising AI investment. 

Meta has approximately 300 employees in France. The specific roles impacted by the proposal have yet to be confirmed.

La Lettre reports that Meta is negotiating a collective contractual termination procedure in France (a rupture conventionnelle collective or RCC). Under an RCC, companies may negotiate voluntary workforce reductions with trade unions rather than relying solely on individual departure offers.

The proposed arrangement reportedly differs from the programmes announced by Microsoft and Google, which offer eligible employees individual options to leave. 

Employees interested in the proposed scheme were required to submit applications by November 5. Meta has not stated whether the programme will extend beyond its French operations.

Negotiations for the collective departure arrangement began in July. Its proposed terms reportedly include financial compensation and career transition support.

La Lettre detailed the proposed exit package, which includes:

• Severance pay: 2.15 months of salary for every year of service

• Mobility leave: 10 months of leave paid at 80 per cent of an employee's gross salary.

• Career transition support: assistance with professional retraining (support in setting up a business is also reportedly under consideration)

These are proposed terms, rather than a confirmed final agreement, which will depend on the outcome of negotiations.

In 2023, the company used a similar arrangement in France: a collective departure agreement was reportedly expected to result in 88 employees leaving Meta's French subsidiary. It had approximately 350 workers at that time.

Source: People Matters

Meta has become the latest tech giant to offer voluntary exit packages, after it approached around 100 employees in France with a proposed severance package. It includes 2.15 months' salary for each year of service, People Matters reports.

According to reporting from La Lettre, Meta has joined Microsoft and Google in offering employees voluntary exit options as global tech giants continue to restructure their workforces amid rising AI investment. 

Meta has approximately 300 employees in France. The specific roles impacted by the proposal have yet to be confirmed.

La Lettre reports that Meta is negotiating a collective contractual termination procedure in France (a rupture conventionnelle collective or RCC). Under an RCC, companies may negotiate voluntary workforce reductions with trade unions rather than relying solely on individual departure offers.

The proposed arrangement reportedly differs from the programmes announced by Microsoft and Google, which offer eligible employees individual options to leave. 

Employees interested in the proposed scheme were required to submit applications by November 5. Meta has not stated whether the programme will extend beyond its French operations.

Negotiations for the collective departure arrangement began in July. Its proposed terms reportedly include financial compensation and career transition support.

La Lettre detailed the proposed exit package, which includes:

• Severance pay: 2.15 months of salary for every year of service

• Mobility leave: 10 months of leave paid at 80 per cent of an employee's gross salary.

• Career transition support: assistance with professional retraining (support in setting up a business is also reportedly under consideration)

These are proposed terms, rather than a confirmed final agreement, which will depend on the outcome of negotiations.

In 2023, the company used a similar arrangement in France: a collective departure agreement was reportedly expected to result in 88 employees leaving Meta's French subsidiary. It had approximately 350 workers at that time.

Source: People Matters