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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n An openly gay senior associate at JPMorgan Chase<\/a> claims he was pushed out of his job by an allegedly homophobic boss who made his life so miserable that he began experiencing panic attacks, severe depression, and a resurgence of trichotillomania<\/a>, a psychological disorder marked by an irresistible urge to pull out one\u2019s own hair.<\/p>\n Brian Larson hadn\u2019t experienced a flare-up since childhood, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday and obtained by The Independent. The condition, which is often triggered by stress, resulted in \u201cnoticeable bald patches on his scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes,\u201d Larson\u2019s complaint states. <\/p>\n The situation also caused Larson intense anxiety, the complaint goes on. It says he developed insomnia<\/a>, gained between 20 and 25 pounds, and was beset by chronic migraines that did not respond to treatment.<\/p>\n In October 2023, after 18 months on the job, Larson \u2013 who served as the co-chair of PRIDE Tri-State, a workplace affinity group meant to engage and support JPMorgan\u2019s LGBTQ+ employees<\/a> \u2013 was called into HR over about $40 in expenses, according to the complaint<\/a>, which was filed September 23 in Manhattan federal court.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring that meeting, HR told him that there were two Uber rides that he expensed to JPMorgan that \u2018raised questions about his trustworthiness and honesty,\u2019\u201d the complaint goes on. \u201cThe two Uber rides were from June 2023 Pride Month events that Mr. Larson attended as a part of his work with PRIDE.\u201d<\/p>\n Larson explained that he had gotten approval from his manager to attend the events, and that he had been told to expense the Uber<\/a> rides to JPMorgan<\/a>, the complaint contends. The manager corroborated Larson\u2019s story and HR let the issue go. However, four days later, Larson was once again contacted by HR and told he needed to quit or be fired, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n \u201cHR told Mr. Larson that if he did not resign he would be fired, and htat termination would be on his record, negatively impacting his chance of being rehired by JPMorgan in the future,\u201d the complaint says.<\/p>\n When Larson asked why, he claims HR told him that his time with the Chase Associate Program<\/a>, the pathway he took into the job, \u201chad run out.\u201d If Larson didn\u2019t resign, the termination would stay in his permanent record and he would have a difficult time ever being hired at JPMorgan again, the complaint states. <\/p>\n \u201cI was proud to build my career at JPMorgan Chase and believed deeply in the firm\u2019s stated commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion,\u201d Larson told The Independent in an email. \u201cWhen I experienced conduct that I believed was discriminatory and raised concerns through the appropriate channels, I expected those concerns to be taken seriously. Instead, as alleged in the complaint, I faced retaliation that ultimately derailed my career at the firm.\u201d<\/p>\n Larson said he brought the case \u201cbecause no employee should have to choose between being open about who they are and feeling secure in their job, or fear professional consequences for reporting discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope this case helps reinforce that workplace inclusion must be reflected not only in public commitments, but in how employees are actually treated when they speak up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In its own statement, a JPMorgan spokesman said, \u201cWe take these allegations very seriously and after a thorough internal investigation we found no evidence to substantiate Mr. Larson\u2019s claims.\u201d <\/p>\n A source at the bank told The Independent that Larson\u2019s managers found \u201cgaps\u201d in his performance and provided coaching on improving the quality of his work, receptiveness to feedback and communication. Further, the source said, participation in the particular program Larson was in does not guarantee a permanent role, and that Larson eventually resigned after not securing one.<\/p>\n Larson\u2019s complaint cites a coworker who described the atmosphere at JPMorgan<\/a> as \u201clowkey homophobic.\u201d<\/p>\n It says one of Larson\u2019s supervisors constantly harangued him about his participation in PRIDE, saying, among other things, that Larson \u201cneeded to keep his \u2018gay job\u2019 separate from his work at JPMorgan, that \u2018DEI wasn\u2019t going to save [him],\u2019 and \u2018just because [Mr. Larson is] gay doesn\u2019t mean [he] get[s] a leg up.\u2019\u201d The same supervisor allegedly targeted Larson, who received the highest praise in his performance reviews, by removing him from projects and giving him a \u201cvery low rating\u201d on his next review.<\/p>\n This, according to Larson, made it impossible for him to move to another department, applying to roughly 50 different roles internally, without success. <\/p>\n \u201cMr. Larson could sense that the individual team members who interviewed him liked him and were excited about his candidacy,\u201d the complaint alleges. \u201cHowever, in each case, he seemed to hit an invisible wall when his application advanced. It became obvious that [Larson\u2019s] retaliatory performance review and\/or other negative information associated with his complaints of discrimination was affecting his ability to obtain another position within JPMorgan.\u201d<\/p>\n Larson\u2019s complaint also takes aim at JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon<\/a>, who he claims asked a gay executive to explain the Kinsey scale \u2013 which frames sexual orientation as a spectrum, not a binary. Dimon then purportedly said he \u201ccould be 17 percent gay,\u201d which Larson\u2019s complaint calls \u201cboth odd and offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n Following his separation from the company, Larson applied to 25 or 30 new positions, both at JPMorgan<\/a> and at other companies. In March 2024, the complaint says he was hired as a senior manager at a financial services management consultancy, where he received \u201cpositive feedback\u201d on his job performance. However, Larson\u2019s migraines ultimately became too much to bear, and he was unable to continue working, the complaint states. <\/p>\n
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A former JPMorgan Chase senior associate claims he was pushed out of his job for being gay (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2261321848.jpeg\")
Former JPMorgan Chase senior associate Brian Larson says in a newly filed lawsuit that a supervisor harangued him constantly about his work on the bank’s LGBTQ+ affinity group, and insisted he spend less time on his ‘gay job’ (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"JPMorgan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-519237216.jpeg\")
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon makes a cameo appearance in former employee Brian Larson’s federal lawsuit, having allegedly made a crack about his own sexuality (Getty Images)<\/p>\n