JPMorgan Executive Told Gay Employee 'DEI Is Not Going to Save You,' Lawsuit Alleges

A JPMorgan Chase executive allegedly told a gay employee to separate his "gay job" from his "day job" and warned him that "DEI is not going to save you" before the bank forced him to resign, according to a discrimination lawsuit.

Brian Larson, a former senior associate in JPMorgan’s rotational Chase Associate Program, claims that supervisor Peter Bergman made repeated disparaging remarks about his sexual orientation and his leadership role in the bank’s Pride employee group. The complaint was filed last week in Manhattan federal court.

Larson alleges that Bergman called him into an impromptu Zoom meeting in late June 2022, stating that Larson was dedicating too much time to his work with Pride. Bergman allegedly instructed Larson to “separate [his] gay job from [his] day job” and characterized his Pride involvement as an “extracurricular” activity.

When Larson questioned whether his work for Bergman’s Growth Segments team was suffering, Bergman allegedly responded that while it was not suffering at that moment, he could see it happening.

Larson asserts that this experience led to severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and insomnia. It also reportedly triggered a recurrence of trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder often linked to stress, which he had not experienced since childhood.

JPMorgan Chase denied the allegations, stating, "We take these allegations very seriously and after a thorough internal investigation we found no evidence to substantiate Mr. Larson’s claims." A spokesperson for the bank added that multiple managers identified performance gaps during Larson’s tenure and provided coaching to help him improve.

According to the bank, Larson was given an extended period to secure a permanent position after completing the Chase Associate Program and ultimately resigned after failing to do so. The program is a two-year rotational initiative involving three eight-to-10-month placements on different project teams.

Larson’s complaint states he worked 60 to 70 hours per week for Bergman’s team and conducted his Pride-related work outside of those hours.

Larson reported Bergman’s alleged “gay job” remark to Elizabeth Manchin, a Chase Associate Program manager. The complaint states Manchin told him that “Pride activities are not extracurricular” and were “a part of how we do business at Chase.”

He also sought advice from a previous supervisor, Ashlee Kelly, who allegedly cautioned him against reporting the issue to human resources, suggesting that “it does not always turn out the way you want it to.”

Kelly reportedly told Larson that he had done the right thing by reporting Bergman’s behavior and that he would overcome the situation.

The situation escalated after JPMorgan’s then-global head of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Brian Lamb, sent Larson an email acknowledging his commitment to DEI and stating his manager would be directed to integrate this work into his performance review. Bergman allegedly responded to Larson, stating, “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.”

During a subsequent meeting, Bergman allegedly told Larson, “Just because you are gay doesn’t mean you get a leg up.”

Larson again complained to Manchin, who reportedly told him that the situation “was not right.”

Following Larson’s complaint, Bergman allegedly removed him from projects, increased scrutiny of his work, and warned him that his “final placement out of this program is not a sure thing” and that “DEI is not going to save you.”

Bergman reportedly gave Larson “on track” ratings in all three performance categories, adding, “I wish Brian [Larson] demonstrated the same passion for the Students Group Growth Segment that he does for his LGBTQ community.” Larson’s complaint notes that he had received “exceeds expectations” ratings across the board during his first rotation and was told he was exceeding expectations in his third.

JPMorgan HR investigated Larson’s complaints but concluded it found “no credible evidence that Mr. Bergman discriminated against [Mr. Larson],” according to the lawsuit.

Larson subsequently applied for numerous internal positions at JPMorgan but did not secure a permanent role.

In October 2023, HR questioned Larson about approximately $40 in Uber expenses related to Pride Month events, allegedly telling him they “raised questions about his trustworthiness and honesty,” though no policy violation was ultimately found.

Four days later, HR reportedly informed Larson that his “time with CAP had run out” and instructed him to resign via an online portal while on a shared screen. He was allegedly warned that failure to do so would result in termination and a permanent mark on his record.

The lawsuit accuses JPMorgan of discrimination and retaliation and seeks lost earnings, compensatory and punitive damages, and other relief.