Fired for questioning Jamie Dimon about return-to-office diktat, JPMorgan employee rehired? What happened, explained… | Company Business News

JPMorgan Chase CEO and Chairman Jamie Dimon has been emphatic about employees returning to the office (RTO) to work, dismissing hybrid or work-from-home (WFH) options for his workforce. During the recent company town hall on February 12, one staff member who disagreed was allegedly fired for questioning Dimon about the RTO policy, according to a Forbes report.

Employee Nicolas Welch managed a front-row seat at the 45-minute town hall of around 1,000 staff and others on Zoom and raised the issue for himself and his team, the report said.

What Did the JPMorgan Employee Say to Jamie Dimon?

The report noted that Welch, an analyst in tech ops, has worked for the bank since 2017. He told the publication he is going through a divorce and flexible work times would help deal with family and childcare. Welch works out of the Polaris office, which has headquarters in Ohio and serves 12,000 people. To his good fortune, the RTO memo has not yet arrived there.

He thanked Dimon for “listening to an old hillbilly like me” and explained how his team comprises seven employees across different countries like Argentina, India, and the United States — all working in different time zones. He suggested: “There is no way that being in an office makes any difference for us specifically. So, all I’m asking is that—I’m not suggesting you rescind such an order—but suggesting it be left up to managers of individual teams themselves on [the] necessity of an office workplace.” 

Welch’s statement was met with audience applause, and throughout the day, co-workers hi-fived and thanked him, the report added. Forbes has a recording of the town hall interaction.

‘No Chance’ Says Jamie Dimon, Goes on Rant

Forbes reported that Dimon can be heard going off on the employee and accusing managers of abusing the company’s hybrid work policies. “That’s it? I’m going to give you a complete answer. There is no chance that I would leave that up to managers. Zero chance. The abuse that took place was extraordinary,” Dimon said.

He also complained about employees “wasting time” during Zoom meetings and complained about how staff strength has “ballooned” by 50,000 in the past four to five years. “We don’t need all those people. We were putting people in jobs because people weren’t doing the jobs they were hired to do in [the] first place,” Dimon said.

The report said that sometime later in the town hall too, Dimon spoke against an employee petition seeking a withdrawal of the RTO mandate. “I don’t care how many people sign that f***ing petition,” Dimon said.

JPMorgan Chase has ordered all 317,233 employees back to offices. At present 40 per cent of these work from home two days a week as part of a hybrid schedule.

Fired… the Retained? How Events Unfolded

Welch’s day turned for the worse with a text from Garrett Monaghan, a Vice President – Branch HelpDesk, stating: “I don’t know what the f**k you just did, but come to my desk immediately when that town hall ends. Please” (sic) Monaghan was Welch superior from 2022-23 and both work in JPM’s Technology Employee Support Services (TESS).

At the afternoon meeting, Welch was met by Monaghan and Jeffrey Todd Merrill, Vice President – Global Dedicated IT Support (also Welch boss from 2018-21), who told him to “Go and clean off your desk and get the f**k out of here.” (sic)

Then at 4.30 pm Megan Mead, executive director, director of global IT support (TESS), said she had “smoothed things over” and that Welch was still hired with JPM. She also texted him, saying: “I appreciate you, Nic and I am really proud about how you responded to a pretty unfair circumstance.”

Monaghan, Merrill and Mead did not respond to queries, according to the Fortune report.

Welch’s current boss, Richard Cundiff, IT Support Customer Success Manager, said the alleged firing claims “are false” and declined further comment. A JPMorgan Chase spokesman also said that Welch was never fired.