A former Meta engineer, who was laid off in the company’s 2022 workforce reduction, assumed rejoining the company would be relatively simple. With more than four years of experience at Meta and a strong track record—including a recent promotion— they were highly regarded by leadership. Managers assured them that the layoff was purely a business decision and that multiple teams were interested in bringing them back.
However, after applying for nearly 20 roles over the next year, they noticed a troubling pattern. Despite initial enthusiasm from hiring managers, their applications consistently hit dead ends. Recruiters scheduled screening calls and even moved them to the first stage of Meta’s hiring process, only to abruptly stop communication. Eventually, a hiring manager informed them that Meta’s recruiting team had flagged them as “ineligible for rehire.”
“That was the first time I realized I might be on some sort of internal list,” the engineer told Business Insider (BI), requesting anonymity due to ongoing efforts to return to the company.
Meta’s Secretive Blacklist for Former Employees
According to former employees and managers who spoke with BI, Meta maintains internal lists that block certain ex-employees from being rehired. While not illegal, such practices are unusual and raise concerns about fairness and transparency in hiring.
Meta reportedly uses tracking systems to categorize employees based on their departure status. These include labels like “non-regrettable attrition” or “do not rehire.” The exact criteria remain unclear, but internal communications suggest that hiring managers frequently encounter obstacles when trying to rehire certain individuals.
Since 2022, major tech companies have implemented mass layoffs and stricter performance evaluations in pursuit of efficiency. However, undisclosed rehire restrictions at Meta add another challenge for former employees seeking a return.
Denied Without Explanation
Several ex-Meta employees claim they were blocked from rehiring despite strong performance records. Often, they only learned of their ineligibility through third-party staffing agencies rather than Meta itself.
For instance, a former hardware engineer with excellent reviews was approached by a staffing agency for a contract role on their old team. The agency initially expressed enthusiasm but later became evasive before revealing that Meta had flagged them as ineligible. No further explanation was provided.
A similar scenario unfolded for another ex-employee who was laid off in 2022. A staffing agency contacted them about a Meta contract role, but after they applied, the agency informed them that Meta had rejected their application due to their rehire status—without stating why. When they tried to get answers from former managers, they were met with silence.
“I was frustrated because they didn’t even tell me directly,” the ex-employee said. “They gave this information to a third party but not to me.”
Meta Defends Its Hiring Policies
In response to inquiries from BI, a Meta spokesperson stated that the company has “clear criteria” to determine rehire eligibility. Meta assesses employees’ departure reasons—such as policy violations, performance issues, or voluntary resignations—along with final performance ratings before deciding on their eligibility.
“There are checks and balances to ensure a single manager cannot unilaterally make someone ineligible without support,” the spokesperson said.
However, former managers dispute this, claiming it was easy to mark employees under “non-regrettable attrition” with minimal oversight. One ex-manager told BI that it only required filling out a form and that the designation was rarely challenged.
Hiring Blacklist Remains a Mystery
In mid-2024, the former engineer struggling to return to Meta sought help from a company lawyer specializing in employee relations. After reviewing their employment history, the lawyer confirmed no HR violations would justify a hiring restriction but declined to explain why they remained blocked.
The engineer later contacted Meta’s HR department, explicitly asking if they were on a recruiting blacklist. The company refused to confirm or deny their status and instead suggested they continue applying through official channels.
Over the following months, they reached out to various Meta directors and hiring managers, many of whom expressed interest in rehiring them. However, one director revealed they had seen similar cases where even current employees, given a month to transfer after their teams were dissolved, were prevented from transferring due to internal restrictions.
Another hiring manager privately admitted that Meta instructed them not to discuss specific reasons for rejecting candidates. When the engineer asked how to get removed from the blacklist, they were told that not even executive-level approvals could override it.
Legal and Ethical Implications
Legal experts note that while Meta’s hiring restrictions may be legal, they could raise concerns if they disproportionately impact certain groups. Employment attorney Ashley Herd told BI that unless there is a clear pattern of discrimination, such practices remain within legal boundaries.
However, Herd criticized the policy, saying, “It’s a terrible practice because it limits access to qualified talent, especially those already familiar with the company.”
Mitchell Epner, another employment attorney, explained that while rehiring restrictions are sometimes included in severance agreements, none of the affected former employees BI interviewed recalled signing such clauses. “Outside of discrimination against protected classes, companies can hire or refuse to hire for any reason—or no reason at all,” he said.
Despite Meta’s strict policies, its blacklist isn’t infallible. In one case, the company mistakenly rehired an individual flagged as “Do Not Hire” despite past allegations of harassment. This oversight led to a lawsuit in 2023.
“I Would Still Go Back”
Despite their frustration, the former engineer remains open to returning to Meta if given the chance.
“It’s the worst company I’ve ever worked for,” they admitted. “But they also pay the best. If I could go back for a couple more years and make good money, I would.”
As Meta continues its cost-cutting and performance-based layoffs, its secretive hiring policies leave many former employees uncertain about their future prospects—even those with stellar past performance records.
