Bank of America Executive Alleges Discrimination in Lawsuit Over Family Leave

A former Bank of America executive has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that he was subjected to race and age discrimination and ultimately forced to resign while attempting to care for his ailing mother. Robert Zullo, 55, a former senior vice president in the bank's compliance and operational risk division, claims his supervisors threatened his career and retaliated against him for relocating from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Albany, New York, to provide care for his parent.

According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Charlotte, North Carolina, Zullo's superior, AJ Venit, warned him in August 2025 that he "would never work in the banking industry again" and that Zullo "would be gone in 30 days." Zullo alleges that a younger, Black colleague in a similar situation was permitted to relocate to attend to a dependent's needs without facing disciplinary action and was later promoted. Zullo claims that bonuses for some managers were tied to diversity targets, creating a financial incentive to favor Black employees.

Bank of America has denied the allegations, stating that the company provides flexibility and leave accommodations for all employees. A spokesperson told The Post, "Mr. Zullo repeatedly failed to comply with company policy, and we strongly disagree with this account. We look forward to presenting the facts through the appropriate legal channels."

Zullo's lawsuit details a timeline of events beginning in July 2024, when he alleges his direct supervisor, Karen Cheney, verbally approved his request to work intermittently from the bank's Albany office. His mother required extensive outpatient treatment for serious medical conditions affecting her vision, cognitive abilities, and mobility, with treatment scheduled to begin in September 2025.

For approximately a year, Zullo claims the arrangement proceeded without disciplinary issues, with the bank's internal reports indicating his compliance. However, on August 6, 2025, Cheney reportedly contacted human resources seeking information to support a warning about his attendance, despite acknowledging current reports showed compliance. A week later, Zullo received a disciplinary letter alleging he had not met the company's requirement of spending three full days a week at his assigned Charlotte office.

The disciplinary action came a day after Zullo submitted a formal application to make Albany his assigned office. At a meeting on August 14, Venit allegedly refused to allow Zullo's application to proceed to a review committee and accused him of using the Albany office without authorization. Cheney declined to confirm her prior verbal approval of the arrangement, according to the lawsuit.

Following these events, Zullo filed an internal ethics complaint alleging race and age discrimination on August 15, 2025. Four days later, Cheney and Venit placed him on a performance improvement plan, citing low performance and lack of productivity, and warning that "TERMINATION CAN TAKE PLACE AT ANY TIME." Zullo contends this action was retaliatory and violated bank policy regarding pending employment actions after an ethics complaint.

Zullo highlights his consistently satisfactory job evaluations, expanded responsibilities, and a performance award received just three months prior. The lawsuit states that the bank subsequently canceled his flexible-work application and that the performance plan prevented him from applying for family medical leave, temporary leave, or internal transfers. Zullo resigned on August 20, 2025, asserting that his bosses had already decided to terminate him. His resignation occurred shortly before he would have qualified for substantial retirement vesting and equity benefits, according to the complaint.