JPMorgan Analyst Who Questioned CEO Jamie Dimon’s Return-to-Office Mandate Was Fired—Then Unfired in a Matter of Hours

Edited by: TJVNews.com

A JPMorgan Chase analyst who publicly challenged CEO Jamie Dimon’s controversial return-to-office (RTO) policy was reportedly fired on the spot—only to have the decision rescinded hours later, according to a New York Post report that appeared on Sunday. The stunning reversal highlights the growing tensions at America’s largest bank as employees push back against mandates requiring them to return to the office full-time.

As The New York Post report indicated, Nicholas Welch, a longtime tech operations analyst at JPMorgan Chase, attended a company-wide town hall meeting in Columbus, Ohio, where he dared to question Dimon’s rigid stance on in-office work. Welch, who is in the middle of a divorce and has family and childcare obligations, asked the CEO whether lower-level managers could be given discretion to determine how many in-person workdays were necessary for their teams.

Welch pointed out that his seven-member team operates across multiple countries and time zones, making the physical office space largely irrelevant to their workflow. His question resonated with colleagues, drawing applause from the audience. However, Dimon swiftly shut him down. As quoted by The New York Post, Dimon responded, “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.”

Dimon then went on a tirade, claiming that abuse of remote work was rampant within the company and that too many employees had been hired since the pandemic. The New York Post reported that Dimon was particularly blunt about his frustration, saying, “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.” He also dismissed a petition signed by 13,000 employees urging him to reconsider the RTO mandate, stating, “I don’t care how many people sign that f–king petition.”

Welch, who felt validated by his coworkers’ support, quickly found himself in trouble after the meeting. The New York Post report detailed how JPMorgan Vice President Garrett Monaghan sent Welch a furious text message immediately after the town hall, saying, “I don’t know what the f–k you just did, but come to my desk immediately when that town hall ends. Please.”

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, Monaghan then berated Welch in person, telling him he had “just dragged our whole organization through the mud” before ordering him to “go clean off your desk and get the f–k out of here.” Shocked, Welch grabbed his coat and headphones and left, believing he had been summarily fired.

Welch then reached out to his direct supervisor, Richard Cundiff, for clarity, but received little support. “Thanks for letting me know,” Cundiff reportedly replied when Welch texted him to say his job was in jeopardy. For several hours, Welch remained in limbo, convinced his eight-year career at JPMorgan had just ended.

However, as The New York Post reported, the situation took an unexpected turn around 4:30 p.m. when Megan Mead, JPMorgan’s global IT support executive director, called Welch to inform him that she had “smoothed things over” with Monaghan and that he was still employed. Less than an hour later, Monaghan himself sent a conciliatory message, acknowledging that while he didn’t agree with Welch’s delivery, he supported the sentiment behind his remarks. “We good?” Monaghan asked, even offering to buy Welch a beer.

Later that evening, Mead texted Welch again, expressing her appreciation for how he had handled the situation. “Really proud about how you responded to a pretty unfair circumstance,” she reportedly wrote, according to The New York Post report.

Now, JPMorgan appears to be in full damage-control mode. A company spokesperson told The New York Post that Welch was never officially terminated and remains in good standing. “He didn’t say anything wrong in the town hall,” the spokesperson insisted. Cundiff, Welch’s supervisor, also denied that Welch had ever been fired, calling the claims “false.” However, as The New York Post report highlighted, several employees believed Welch had indeed been dismissed, though it remains unclear whether the bank ever filed termination paperwork.

The incident underscores the growing unrest among JPMorgan employees as Dimon doubles down on his hardline RTO policy. As The New York Post has reported, the company’s decision to end hybrid work in favor of a mandatory five-day office schedule has been met with widespread pushback, fueling tensions between the bank’s leadership and its workforce. Welch’s near-dismissal may serve as a warning to others who dare to question the policy—but it also reveals the internal chaos that JPMorgan is facing as it struggles to enforce an unpopular directive.