US: JP Morgan settles class action lawsuit with fathers over parental leave policy

Derek Rotondo said the bank refused him parental leave benefit normally available to all employees who are “primary caregivers”.

He took legal action against the company in 2017, which was followed by a class action lawsuit led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the first of its kind.

The class action was on behalf of male employees who claimed to be unlawfully refused paid parental leave on the same terms as mothers between 2011 and 2017.

Mr Rotondo said in the complaint that when he sought to take 14 weeks’ “primary caregiver” leave following the birth of his son, JP Morgan said that fathers were eligible for only two weeks’ paid parental leave unless they could show that their partners were either incapacitated or had returned to work.

The ACLU said that the firm has agreed to establish a $5m fund to compensate the fathers.

The firm will also now maintain a gender-neutral parental leave policy.

JP Morgan’s Associate General Counsel Reid Broda said the company was “pleased to have reached an agreement in this matter and look forward to more effectively communicating the policy so that all men and women employees are aware of their benefits”.

“We thank Mr Rotondo for bringing the matter to our attention.”