A JPMorgan employee was told to quit or be fired. He says he was let go for being gay
Key Points:
- Brian Larson, an openly gay senior associate at JPMorgan Chase, filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was pushed out of his job due to homophobic treatment by a supervisor, which led to severe mental health issues including panic attacks, depression, and a resurgence of trichotillomania.
- Larson claims he faced retaliation after raising concerns about discrimination, including being pressured to resign following a dispute over expense claims related to LGBTQ+ Pride events, despite having managerial approval for those expenses.
- The lawsuit details a hostile work environment where Larson was subjected to negative performance reviews and exclusion from projects, hindering his ability to secure other internal positions despite positive feedback from interviewers.
- JPMorgan Chase denies the allegations, stating an internal investigation found no evidence to support Larson's claims and attributing his departure to performance issues and the nature of the associate program, which does not guarantee permanent roles.
- Larson is seeking back pay, benefits, compensatory and punitive damages, emphasizing the need for genuine workplace inclusion beyond public commitments, and is now relying on Social Security Disability Insurance after leaving a subsequent job due to health complications.