A former Goldman Sachs executive, Jon Reeves, has been awarded £1.45mn in compensation for sex discrimination and unfair dismissal after losing his job following a six-month paternity leave. Reeves, who was deputy global head of the bank’s compliance “control room” in London, was dismissed in 2022 upon his scheduled return from leave.

A tribunal previously ruled in Reeves' favour, finding he suffered "stigma" in the financial sector, leading to prospective employers hesitating to hire him. A judgment highlighted that interviews were abruptly cancelled after a media report about his claim circulated. Reeves contended that the bank's stated reasons for dismissal – "business need" and "relative performance" – were a pretext for penalizing him for taking extended parental leave.

The tribunal found Goldman's dismissal process "unfair in every respect." The award includes compensation for injury to feelings, lost earnings, and a penalty for procedural failures. A 50 per cent deduction was applied, as the tribunal believed redundancy was likely regardless. Goldman Sachs stated they are a "market leader" in paid parental leave and "strongly disagree" with the decision.