AI Agents Laying off Protected Leave-Takers?

March 22, 2026

We’ve seen situations where employees in large tech / social media company layoffs received performance ratings that may not have fully accounted for periods of protected leave.

As companies increasingly rely on standardized or automated evaluation systems (i.e., AI-enabled performance management systems) for reduction-in-force (RIF) decisions, it’s important to ensure those processes remain compliant with federal and state leave protections.

If you’ve experienced changes in expectations or evaluations during or after protected leave in a recent review cycle, Lumen Law Center would be interested in hearing about your experience at a high level.

Please do not share any confidential, proprietary, or privileged information.

This post is for general informational purposes and does not create an attorney-client relationship.