Meta Will Cut 10% of Jobs on May 20

Apr 24, 2026, 16:33
A2

Meta Will Cut 10% of Jobs on May 20

Introduction

Meta told its workers on Thursday that it will cut about 10% of its jobs. The cuts start on May 20. The company will also close about 6,000 open jobs. Meta said it needs to save money and pay for other things.

Main Body

The company sent a memo to workers. It said the news came early because of leaks. About 8,000 workers will lose their jobs. The company said the wait is very hard for workers. Workers on company forums and an app called Blind showed different feelings. Some called the wait "28 days of hell." Some were happy the company finally said the news. Others felt more pressure to show their work. One worker said they always think they might lose their job. Another worker worried about more work for the people who stay. The company gave details for US workers. They will get 16 weeks of pay plus 2 more weeks for each year they worked. The company will also pay for health insurance for 18 months. Workers in other countries will get similar help. The company will also help with career advice and visa support. More details will come before May 20. Workers asked about company stock. If a worker loses their job before August 15, they will not get the stock. Travel is not stopped for everyone, but team leaders can decide. Some workers asked why the company did not offer voluntary buyouts like Microsoft and Google.

Conclusion

The wait until May 20 makes workers nervous. The company gave some help, but the long wait causes worry about who will lose their jobs.

Vocabulary Learning

company (n.)
business / an organization that makes or sells things公司
Example:Meta is a big company.
cut (v.)
reduce / to make something smaller in amount削減；減少
Example:The company will cut 10% of its jobs.
job (n.)
work / the work that someone does to earn money工作；職位
Example:Many workers will lose their jobs.
pay (n.)
salary / money you get for working薪酬；工資
Example:Workers will get 16 weeks of pay.
worker (n.)
employee / a person who works for a company員工；工人
Example:The company told workers about the cuts.

Sentence Learning

Meta told its workers on Thursday that it will cut about 10% of its jobs.
Time Marker: The phrase "on Thursday" tells when Meta told workers.片語「on Thursday」說明Meta告知員工的時間。
The cuts start on May 20.
Time Marker: "on May 20" tells the start date.「on May 20」說明了裁員開始的日期。
Meta said it needs to save money and pay for other things.
Basic Connector: The word "and" connects two reasons.連接詞「and」連接了兩個原因。
The company sent a memo to workers.
Prepositional Phrase: "to workers" shows who received the memo.「to workers」表示接收備忘錄的對象。
The wait until May 20 makes workers nervous.
Time Marker: "until May 20" shows the end of the waiting period.「until May 20」說明了等待期的結束時間。
B2

Meta Announces 10% Workforce Reduction Starting May 20, Employees Face Extended Uncertainty

Introduction

Meta Platforms Inc. told its employees on Thursday that it plans to reduce its workforce by about 10%, starting on May 20. The announcement came from an internal memo by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, which also said the company would close around 6,000 open positions. Meta explained that the layoffs are necessary to improve efficiency and pay for other investments.

Main Body

In the memo, Gale stated that the company had to announce the decision earlier than planned because of leaks. The layoffs will affect roughly 8,000 employees. She acknowledged that the resulting uncertainty over the next month is 'incredibly unsettling.' The company did not give further comments. On Meta's internal forums and the anonymous app Blind, employees reacted with questions, concerns, and dark humor. One post called the waiting period '28 days of hell.' Some employees expressed relief that leadership had finally confirmed the widely expected cuts, whereas others reported increased pressure to show their value in the coming weeks. One employee noted that they always assume they are at risk of layoff and will continue working as usual. Another expressed anxiety about keeping their job, recalling previous rounds since 2022 and expecting more work for remaining staff. Furthermore, the memo outlined a severance package for affected US employees: 16 weeks of base pay plus an additional two weeks for each year of service. The company will also cover COBRA health insurance premiums for 18 months. Packages for employees outside the US will be similar but adjusted according to local laws. Career services and immigration support will be provided. Gale noted that more details would be shared before May 20. In response to internal questions, Gale clarified that employees who are let go before August 15 will not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date, although some may still be employed through that date depending on location. She also stated that travel will not be restricted company-wide, but individual vice presidents will give team-specific guidance. Some employees questioned why the company did not offer voluntary buyouts, contrasting this with practices at Microsoft and Google.

Conclusion

The layoff announcement has started a month-long period of uncertainty for Meta employees until the cuts are carried out. The company has provided details on severance and support, but the long wait has caused anxiety and speculation among staff about which teams and individuals will be affected.

Vocabulary Learning

buyouts (n.)
an arrangement in which an employer offers money to employees to leave their jobs voluntarily買斷（僱主提供金錢讓員工自願離職）
Example:Some employees questioned why the company did not offer voluntary buyouts.
severance (n.)
money and benefits paid to an employee when they leave a company遣散費；離職補償
Example:The memo outlined a severance package for affected US employees.
speculation (n.)
the act of guessing or forming opinions about something without having all the facts猜測；推測
Example:The long wait has caused anxiety and speculation among staff about which teams and individuals will be affected.
unsettling (adj.)
causing worry or unease; disturbing令人不安的；使人煩亂的
Example:She acknowledged that the resulting uncertainty over the next month is 'incredibly unsettling.'
vesting (n.)
the process by which an employee gains the right to own stock or other benefits after a certain period歸屬（指員工獲得股票等權利的過程）
Example:Employees who are let go before August 15 will not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date.

Sentence Learning

The announcement came from an internal memo by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, which also said the company would close around 6,000 open positions.
Relative Clause This sentence uses a non-defining relative clause introduced by 'which' to add extra information about the memo. It allows the writer to combine two related ideas into one smooth sentence.關係從句 這個句子使用了由 'which' 引導的非限定性關係從句，補充說明備忘錄的額外信息。這樣寫可以將兩個相關的想法合併成一個流暢的句子。
Career services and immigration support will be provided.
Passive Voice The passive voice 'will be provided' shifts focus from the doer (Meta) to the action and the recipients (employees). This is common in formal reporting to emphasize the service rather than the provider.被動語態 被動語態 'will be provided' 將焦點從執行者（Meta）轉移到行動和接收者（員工）。這在正式報導中常見，用以強調服務本身而非提供者。
Some employees expressed relief that leadership had finally confirmed the widely expected cuts, whereas others reported increased pressure to show their value in the coming weeks.
Contrast Linking Word The linking word 'whereas' clearly contrasts two different employee reactions. It helps organize contrasting ideas in a single sentence, making the comparison explicit.對比連接詞 連接詞 'whereas' 清晰地對比了兩種不同的員工反應。它有助於在一個句子中組織對比的想法，使比較更加明確。
Gale clarified that employees who are let go before August 15 will not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date, although some may still be employed through that date depending on location.
Relative Clause + Contrast This sentence combines a defining relative clause ('who are let go') with a contrast clause introduced by 'although'. The relative clause specifies which employees are affected, while 'although' introduces an exception, creating a nuanced logical structure.關係從句 + 對比 這個句子結合了限定性關係從句（'who are let go'）和由 'although' 引導的對比從句。關係從句具體說明了哪些員工受影響，而 'although' 引入了例外情況，形成了細緻的邏輯結構。
The layoff announcement has started a month-long period of uncertainty for Meta employees until the cuts are carried out.
Passive Voice + Time Clause The passive phrase 'are carried out' emphasizes the action of the cuts without specifying who does them. The time clause 'until the cuts are carried out' sets a clear endpoint, helping to organize the timeline of events.被動語態 + 時間從句 被動短語 'are carried out' 強調裁員這個行動，而不指明執行者。時間從句 'until the cuts are carried out' 設定了明確的結束點，有助於組織事件的時間線。
C2

Meta Announces Planned Workforce Reduction of 10% Effective May 20, Employees Face Extended Period of Uncertainty

Introduction

Meta Platforms Inc. informed its employees on Thursday of a planned reduction of approximately 10% of its workforce, scheduled to take effect on May 20. The announcement, made via an internal memo from Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, also indicated the closure of around 6,000 open positions. The company cited a need to improve operational efficiency and offset other investments as the rationale for the layoffs.

Main Body

The memo from Gale stated that the decision was communicated earlier than desired due to leaks. The layoffs will affect roughly 8,000 employees. Gale acknowledged the resulting ambiguity over the next month as "incredibly unsettling." The company declined to comment further. Internal responses on Meta's forums and the anonymous app Blind included a mixture of questions, concerns, and dark humor. One post referred to the waiting period as "28 days of hell." Some employees expressed relief that leadership had finally acknowledged the widely anticipated cuts, while others reported increased pressure to demonstrate impact in the coming weeks. One employee noted they assume they are always at risk of layoff and will continue working as usual. Another expressed anxiety about surviving the cuts, recalling previous rounds since 2022 and anticipating increased workload for remaining staff. The memo outlined a severance package for affected US employees: 16 weeks of base pay plus an additional two weeks for each year of service. The company will also cover COBRA health insurance premiums for 18 months. Packages for employees outside the US will be similar but adjusted per local regulations. Career services and immigration support will be provided. Gale noted that further details would be shared before May 20. In response to internal queries, Gale clarified that employees terminated before August 15 would not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date, though some may remain employed through that date depending on location. She also stated that travel would not be restricted company-wide, but individual vice presidents would provide team-specific guidance. Some employees questioned why voluntary buyouts were not offered, contrasting with practices at Microsoft and Google.

Conclusion

The layoff announcement has initiated a period of uncertainty for Meta employees lasting nearly a month until the cuts are implemented. The company has provided details on severance and support, but the extended waiting period has generated anxiety and speculation among staff about which teams and individuals will be affected.

Vocabulary Learning

ambiguity (n.)
uncertainty or lack of clarity about meaning or outcome含糊；不明確
Example:Gale acknowledged the resulting ambiguity over the next month as 'incredibly unsettling.'
rationale (n.)
reasoning or justification for a decision理由；根據
Example:The company cited a need to improve operational efficiency as the rationale for the layoffs.
severance (n.)
compensation and benefits paid to an employee upon termination遣散費；離職補償
Example:The memo outlined a severance package for affected US employees including 16 weeks of base pay.
unsettling (adj.)
causing anxiety or unease; disturbing令人不安的；困擾的
Example:The extended waiting period has been described as incredibly unsettling for employees.
vesting (n.)
the process by which an employee gains ownership of stock options or retirement benefits over time股權歸屬；授予
Example:Gale clarified that employees terminated before August 15 would not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date.

Sentence Learning

The announcement, made via an internal memo from Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, also indicated the closure of around 6,000 open positions.
Reduced Relative Clause: The phrase "made via an internal memo..." is a reduced relative clause (past participle phrase) modifying "announcement", omitting the relative pronoun and auxiliary verb "which was". This structure condenses information and is typical of formal writing.縮減關係從句：「made via an internal memo...」是一個縮減關係從句（過去分詞短語），修飾「announcement」，省略了關係代詞和助動詞「which was」。這種結構濃縮信息，常見於正式寫作。
Another expressed anxiety about surviving the cuts, recalling previous rounds since 2022 and anticipating increased workload for remaining staff.
Present Participial Phrase: The phrases "recalling previous rounds..." and "anticipating increased workload..." are present participial phrases functioning as adverbials, describing simultaneous actions or accompanying circumstances. They add detail without forming separate clauses.現在分詞短語：「recalling previous rounds...」和「anticipating increased workload...」是現在分詞短語，用作狀語，描述同時發生的動作或伴隨情況。它們在不形成獨立從句的情況下添加細節。
In response to internal queries, Gale clarified that employees terminated before August 15 would not receive the stock vesting scheduled for that date, though some may remain employed through that date depending on location.
Complex Conditional: The sentence contains a conditional structure ("employees terminated... would not receive") using the past participle "terminated" (passive) and the conditional "would not receive". Additionally, a concessive clause ("though some may remain...") adds nuance. The overall structure demonstrates mastery of hypothetical and concessive relationships.複雜條件句：句子包含條件結構（「employees terminated... would not receive」），使用過去分詞「terminated」（被動）和條件式「would not receive」。此外，讓步從句（「though some may remain...」）增加細微差別。整體結構展示了假設和讓步關係的掌握。
Some employees questioned why voluntary buyouts were not offered, contrasting with practices at Microsoft and Google.
Passive Voice: The clause "why voluntary buyouts were not offered" uses the passive voice to emphasize the action (buyouts not being offered) rather than the agent. The present participial phrase "contrasting with practices..." provides a comparison, adding rhetorical depth.被動語態：「why voluntary buyouts were not offered」從句使用被動語態，強調動作（未提供買斷）而非施動者。現在分詞短語「contrasting with practices...」提供對比，增加修辭深度。
The layoff announcement has initiated a period of uncertainty for Meta employees lasting nearly a month until the cuts are implemented.
Reduced Relative Clause: The phrase "lasting nearly a month" is a reduced relative clause (present participle phrase) modifying "period", equivalent to "which lasts nearly a month". The final clause "until the cuts are implemented" uses passive voice ("are implemented") to describe the endpoint.縮減關係從句：「lasting nearly a month」是一個縮減關係從句（現在分詞短語），修飾「period」，相當於「which lasts nearly a month」。最後的從句「until the cuts are implemented」使用被動語態（「are implemented」）描述終點。