Facebook and Google contractors who work for the tech giants in Dublin via third-party companies claim they are being treated as second-class citizens by not being allowed to work from home like direct employees.

Last week Covalen, a CPL company, moved 443 moderators who work on a Facebook contract to Eastwall, Dublin 3, from the Nova Atria building in Sandyford, splitting its team between the offices because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

People working as contractors for Facebook through Covalen have claimed that their requests to work from home have been declined, while Dublin Facebook staff now video-call them from home.

Contractors who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had been allowed to work from home over Christmas and during big storms. The Facebook contractors