He Was Wells Fargo's Top Salesman. Asking to Work From Home Got Him Fired — and the Bank Just Lost Its Appeal

A Record-Breaking Career, Derailed by a Remote Work Request

For nearly three decades, this managing director climbed the ranks at Wells Fargo, from intern to top salesperson, all while managing a serious medical condition. His coworkers knew about it, and for years, his manager allowed informal flexibility—stepping away from the desk or working from home when needed.

The Turning Point

In 2021, his longtime manager left. Suddenly, he was reporting to three senior executives he hardly knew. Worried that his informal arrangement would crumble, he filed a formal request in August to work from home permanently.

The request didn't go over well. According to the court record, senior managers reacted with surprise and skepticism, asking what they needed to 'push back,' and decided that accommodating him would only 'delay the inevitable.' His performance rating slipped from 'exceeds' to 'meets' expectations despite record sales, and he was 'iced' out of conversations.

The Firing That Raised Red Flags

Wells Fargo folded him into a cost-cutting layoff, but the paperwork moved unusually fast—about two months from decision to discharge, versus the typical five months. He was fired in February 2022, just two weeks after the firm announced a return-to-office date.

The Legal Battle

A jury initially awarded more than $22 million. On appeal, the failure-to-accommodate claim was reversed (he had worked from home until firing), and the disability-discrimination verdict was also reversed. But the retaliation claim survived, thanks to the compressed timeline, the downgraded review, and documented managerial resistance. An accommodations consultant's notes, recording the managers' intent to resist, were key.

The court upheld $14 million in front pay and reduced back pay to about $4.2 million. A dissenting judge would have kept the full verdict intact.

This case is a stark reminder: retaliating against an employee for requesting a reasonable accommodation—like remote work—is illegal, even if other claims fail.