A former JPMorgan Chase employee has filed a discrimination lawsuit alleging a supervisor told him to separate his 'gay job' from his 'day job'. Brian Larson, a former senior associate on the Chase Associate Program, claims his involvement with Pride groups led to unfair treatment and eventual resignation.
Allegations of Bias Over Pride Work
After being hired in 2021, Larson was appointed co-chair of the Pride Tri-State group, which supports LGBTQ+ employees and promotes an inclusive workplace. According to the lawsuit, his supervisor, Peter Bergman, made remarks including: 'DEI isn't going to save you,' and 'Just because you are gay doesn't mean you get a leg up.'
The lawsuit, filed last week in Manhattan, New York, claims Bergman targeted Larson despite high praise in performance reviews. Larson was allegedly removed from projects and given low ratings in subsequent reviews. In June 2022, Bergman allegedly called Larson into an unplanned Zoom meeting and told him to 'separate his gay job from his day job,' describing his Pride work as 'extracurricular.'
Complaints and Company Response
Larson reported the remarks to Chase Associate Program manager Elizabeth Manchin, who allegedly said 'Pride activities are not extracurricular' but 'a part of how we do business at Chase.' He also spoke to former supervisor Ashlee Kelly, who allegedly warned that speaking to HR 'does not always turn out the way you want it to.'
After Larson complained, JPMorgan's then-global head of diversity, equity and inclusion, Brian Lamb, emailed him directly, reaffirming the company's commitment to DEI. Lamb said Bergman would be told to recognise Larson's Pride work in his performance review. Bergman allegedly responded: 'I see this email from Brian Lamb, but I want you to know that I am not including any of your Pride activities in your performance review.'
Impact on Health and Career
The complaint states Larson worked up to 70-hour weeks for Bergman's team, doing Pride work outside those hours. He allegedly suffered panic attacks, severe depression, chronic migraines, and a resurgence of trichotillomania—a hair-pulling disorder he had not experienced since childhood. These health issues reportedly caused him to leave his next job at a financial services management consultancy.
JPMorgan's HR department investigated but found no credible evidence of discrimination. A spokesperson told The New York Post: 'We take these allegations very seriously and after a thorough internal investigation we found no evidence to substantiate Mr Larson's claims.' The bank said managers had identified performance issues and tried to help through coaching.
In October 2023, HR questioned Larson over $40 Uber expenses tied to Pride Month events, saying they 'raised questions about his trustworthiness and honesty' before finding no policy violation. Four days later, HR allegedly told Larson his time with the program had 'run out' and instructed him to resign or face termination. The bank says Larson was given extra time to find a new position but ultimately resigned after failing to secure one. Metro has contacted JPMorgan Chase for comment.
