JPMorgan Chase Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged LGBTQ+ Discrimination

JPMorgan Chase is facing allegations of discriminatory treatment against an openly gay employee who claims he was pushed out of his job after reporting harassment and retaliation. Brian Larson, a former senior associate at JPMorgan, filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, alleging that he was subjected to a hostile work environment and eventually forced to resign.

Larson claimed that his supervisor constantly harangued him about his participation in the bank's LGBTQ+ affinity group, PRIDE Tri-State. The supervisor allegedly told Larson that he needed to keep his 'gay job' separate from his work at JPMorgan and that 'DEI wasn't going to save [him]'. Larson also alleged that his supervisor removed him from projects and gave him a low rating on his performance review.

Larson's complaint also takes aim at JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, who allegedly made a comment about being 17% gay. Larson claimed that this comment was both odd and offensive. Despite his high performance reviews, Larson was unable to secure a new role within the company and eventually applied for 25-30 positions outside of JPMorgan.

JPMorgan has responded to the allegations, stating that they take them seriously but found no evidence to substantiate Larson's claims after an internal investigation. However, Larson's attorneys argue that the bank violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and are seeking back and future lost wages, benefits, and health care coverage, as well as compensatory damages for emotional distress.