{"id":743981,"date":"2026-07-05T04:21:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T04:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/743981\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T04:21:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T04:21:14","slug":"california-founder-fired-for-ignoring-his-companys-own-return-to-office-mandate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/743981\/","title":{"rendered":"California founder fired for ignoring his company’s own return-to-office mandate"},"content":{"rendered":"

The co-founder of an $8 billion asset management firm with offices in the Golden State<\/a> was fired for not complying with his own return-to-office policy after failing to show up at the company\u2019s Southern California offices<\/a>.<\/p>\n

William Nieporte, who worked as chief compliance officer for Bramshill Investments for about a decade before being fired in 2022, ran the firm with two high school classmates, Stephen Selver\u00a0and\u00a0Art DeGaetano.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr. DeGaetano is the Chief Investment Officer and Founder of Bramshill Investments Bramshill Investments<\/p>\n

In 2022, the three co-founders issued an email to staff ordering them back to one of the firm\u2019s three offices, five days a week, by July or face termination. Bramshill was one of many companies at the time time trying to get employees back to the office <\/a>after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

A few months later, Nieporte received a termination letter reviewed by the Wall Street Journal<\/a> from the other co-owners stating that he \u201cwillfully and deliberately failed to report to \u2018in-person\u2019 work.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the few instances where an executive has faced discipline for working remotely.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Mr. Selver is the Chief Executive Officer of Bramshill Investments. bramshillinvestments.com\/team\/<\/p>\n

Nieporte filed a lawsuit this past May against Bramshill\u2019s human resources company, claiming the return-to-office policy was an excuse to usurp him from his role \u2014 and claim his 12% stake in the firm. The policy presumably did not apply to ownership, so he \u201cappropriately ignored the email,\u201d according to the suit.<\/p>\n

He is seeking at least $30 million in lost earnings, profits and the value of his 12% stake, according to the suit.<\/p>\n

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n

California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>
California Post Sports Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, X<\/a>
California Post Opinion<\/a>
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!<\/a>
California Post App: Download here!<\/a>
Home delivery: Sign up here!<\/a>
<\/a>Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n

Nieporte\u2019s attorney, Matthew Press, said the policy was not a valid reason for termination and only applied to employees. Nieporte was living in San Ramon, California, hundreds of miles away from the company\u2019s closest office in Newport Beach.<\/p>\n

The filing claims that Nieporte moved to San Ramon in 2017 with approval from his two co-founders. But soon after, the pair allegedly tried to force him out and offered to buy him out in 2021.<\/p>\n

The next year, after the July return-to-office deadline, DeGaetano wrote to Nieporte: \u201cWe have both junior and senior employees commuting over one hour each way to work, and yet you feel this policy doesn\u2019t apply to you.\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nieporte was reportedly fired for not complying with a return-to-office policy. Getty Images<\/p>\n

DeGaetano gave his partner 30 days to correct course, though Nieporte claimed the notice wasn\u2019t valid because it had to be delivered by hand, fax or mail. Nieporte then revived discussions of a buyout, but was fired before the month was done, according to the filing.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Bramshill told the Wall Street Journal that Nieporte was fabricating accusations and that the legal process would show the other co-owners did not do anything wrong.<\/p>\n

Nieporte now works remotely for a Nevada startup.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t