1 week ago
Former Meta Manager Sues Over Immigration Letter Retaliation
A former Meta manager named James Tillinghast is suing Meta and another manager, Bolan Wang.
He says Meta asked him to sign a letter supporting a colleague’s immigration application.
Tillinghast believed the letter overstated what the colleague had done.
He says he refused to approve the letter and raised concerns about its accuracy.
His access to Meta’s systems was later removed, and he lost his job in September 2024.
Meta reportedly said poor performance was the reason for the firing.
Tillinghast says that explanation was a cover for retaliation.
He also claims some Chinese employees received immigration help more often than similar workers from other countries.
These claims have not been proven in court, and Meta has not publicly commented.
James Tillinghast sued Meta Platforms and Bolan Wang in federal court in New Jersey on August 17.
Tillinghast says he was fired after refusing to endorse an immigration letter he believed exaggerated a colleague’s accomplishments.
The proposed letter credited the colleague with about $638 million in additional advertising revenue and developing artificial intelligence tools.
Tillinghast says his Meta system access was revoked around August 29, 2024, and his employment ended on September 30, 2024.
The lawsuit alleges Meta provided immigration assistance more often to some Chinese national employees than to similarly situated workers from other countries.
- Who
- Former Meta product design manager James Tillinghast sued Meta Platforms and Bolan Wang.
- What
- Tillinghast alleges retaliation after refusing to endorse an inaccurate immigration support letter and alleges unequal distribution of immigration assistance.
- Where
- The case was filed in a United States District Court in New Jersey.
- When
- The lawsuit was filed on August 17; Tillinghast’s access was revoked around August 29, 2024, and his employment ended on September 30, 2024.
- Why
- Tillinghast says he was dismissed for objecting to allegedly exaggerated claims in an immigration letter and to unequal treatment in immigration support.
Tillinghast’s allegations
Meta’s stated position
Reason for termination
Tillinghast’s allegations
Tillinghast says he was retaliated against for objecting to inaccurate claims in an immigration letter and that poor performance was used as a pretext.
Meta’s stated position
According to the lawsuit, Meta orally attributed the termination to poor performance; Meta has not publicly commented on the case.
Accuracy of the immigration letter
Tillinghast’s allegations
Tillinghast says the proposed letter exaggerated the colleague’s contributions, including technical work he claims was performed by engineering teams.
Meta’s stated position
The articles do not provide Meta’s response to the disputed descriptions. The lawsuit says Bolan Wang later provided or signed a replacement letter.
Distribution of immigration assistance
Tillinghast’s allegations
Tillinghast alleges that certain Chinese national employees received lawyers, documentation help, and managerial reference letters more frequently than similarly situated workers from other countries.
Meta’s stated position
The articles do not report a detailed response from Meta to the unequal-treatment allegation.
Key facts
- Plaintiff
- James Tillinghast, a former Meta product design manager
- Defendants
- Meta Platforms and Bolan Wang
- Immigration process
- An EB-2 National Interest Waiver application supported by an I-140 petition
- Disputed revenue claim
- Approximately $638 million in additional advertising revenue
- Access revoked
- Around August 29, 2024
- Employment ended
- September 30, 2024
- Damages sought
- More than $1 million for lost pay and stock equity
Sources
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