I was an excellent employee of Edward Jones. I started on February 13, 2006, and began receiving recognition shortly thereafter for my success as a new Investment Representative/Financial Advisor. I received recognition from my trainer and a veteran Financial Advisor during my initial training. I received several awards during my second training session and again during my other training. I received multiple congratulatory communication wires for my hard work, and received 2 performance bonuses. I also was recognized as one of the top producers among my peers. I earned this recognition despite dealing with prejudice and hostility based on my Iranian heritage.
I began experiencing prejudice and hostility from my co-workers as early as April 2006, while receiving my initial training. Another trainee, made inappropriate comments about whether I was hiding a bomb in my bag, he eventually offered me a written apology for his admittedly offensive remarks. However, I endured other harassing remarks from him and his cronies, even after April 2006. They told other trainees that I was from Iran, and repeatedly referred to me as a “tribesmen,” despite I had requested that they stop.
Things did not improve even after Edward Jones finally assigned me a branch office in August 2006. The office was located at in Cincinnati, Ohio. The secretary assigned to that office was an older white female who had worked for Edward Jones for approximately 2 years.
She began very quickly to make me very uncomfortable. In August 2006, she made comments about the many armed conflicts in the middle east, calling Muslims “animals.” I am a Muslim. She asked me “why do you people fight each other?” In September 2006, she made offensive comments about one of my black clients (calling him “sue happy” like all blacks) and one of my gay clients (calling him a “fag” who is condemned by the Bible). Later in September, she made offensive comments about Hispanics, calling them “cockroaches.” She repeatedly made comments about her desire to allow only English speakers to remain in the country.
I am an Iranian. I speak English with a pronounced accent. Each time she made comments about Muslims, people of color, non-English speakers and other minorities, I felt that her remarks were directed at me personally. I advised her that her remarks were offensive, that I didn’t want to hear them, and that she needed to turn her attention to work. This friction resulted in a very uncomfortable workplace that adversely affected the terms and conditions of my employment. It also prompted her to be a less than loyal secretary for me. In fact, she diverted a good deal of business from my branch office to the branch office of her former supervisor.
One day in September of 2006, she finally made the comment that forced me to report her conduct to the Human Resources department. She repeated to me a comedy routine about the top 10 ways to get rid of Mexicans, and said that illegal immigrants should be chased out of the country with baseball bats. I talked to my mentor, who advised me to call H.R. I did telephone H.R. and spoke with a supervisor of the H.R. department for approximately 3 to 4 hours. Then they set up a personal meeting with me for sometime in October of 2006. The HR personnel met with me for several hours on that date. I described the harassment I endured from the secretary and the people during my training days plus the diversion of my customers and large amount of assets to the former secretary supervisor. The HR personnel promised to look into the matter, but they never advised me of either the progress or the results of their investigation.
However, I started to notice a back clash fro the home office. Every time something small would happen they would hold me responsible and would try to spell out Edward Jones policies that they had made up and did not even exist on documentation.
For example, one day one of the veteran Financial Advisors had called my branch and started using profanity and calling me all sorts of names. I stayed calm and tape recorded the conversation. His anger was because I had moved one of my best friend’s account that was only worth in ~$3600 from his office. As I said this guy is a veteran advisor who makes 10 times more that I who had just started. When I informed the HR about that situation the HR turned the situation around against me and accused me of taping a co-worker and gave me a final written warming. They said it was against the Edward Jones policy for taping others. That policy is not to be found anywhere in Edward Jones employee hand book, but what was in that policy was name calling and harassment and that if someone is found to do so will receive suspension or termination. As you can imagine nothing happened to that Financial Advisor, he actual received recognition from our region for his hard work.
After I had received the final written warning I started to ask HR a few questions. I asked them what happened to the secretary’s supervisor who had moved millions of dollars of assets from my branch; did he get a final written warning? I also asked them what happened to those trainees who had constantly harassed because of my national origin and religion. Of course I was ignored and never got a respond back from the HR.
Then sometimes in mid March of 2007 I receive a call from HR department asking me to fly to ST. Louis. At that time my wife was 8 months pregnant, and since we had lost our first child he was very precious to both of us. I asked the HR what was the reason for my flight to St. Luois they would not share that with me. So far almost a week my wife and I we went through hell. When I arrived there the first thing they tried to do was accusing me with gun and threats against Edward Jones. They said that in one of your calls to one of our associate you made threats with gun and said if I was in St. Louis something bad would happen. I stayed calm because I knew that this was another form of their pressure tactic to force me to resign. I denied the whole accusation and told them that was ridiculous and out of line. I told them that been from Iran and what I know now about the middle eastern back clashes there is no way I would say something like that to put my family and myself in jeopardy. Then I asked them when did that call took place they said early February of 2008. Then I said why you acted on it now which was end of March. I also asked them to put that into context or in a sentence and they couldn’t respond. I vehemently denied the accusation. Nonetheless, Edward Jones advised that it was sending me to a management coach to change my approach towards others.
I suspect that this meeting never would have happened, and the referral to a management coach would not have been made, but for the fact that I is of Iranian descent. Certainly, Edward Jones did not send the secretary, the veteran Financial Advisor who cursed at me and the other to a management coach to alter their approaches towards others.
On May 22, 2007, the same HR personnel and a management consultant called me. They advised me that the management consultant was going to help me communicate better so that the home office and my clients would perceive me more favorably. I advised that my clients had no problem communicating with me. I asked who at the home office had problems communicating with him. The HR personnel ended the call, and then called me back. They accused me of being confrontational, and fired me.
After firing me they have also damaged my U5 from that is a broker’s report card. What it means that anyone in this firm who would like to hire you will first look at that report card of yours. NASD tells me that I can’t do anything except ask my employer to change it. I called my employer several times and they refuse to change it. They also have told me if I ever contact any of the client or talk to anyone about anything they will sue me. Finding a job as an advisor is very easy it is a sales job but because of that report card no one wants to hire me.
They have ruined our lives as I said I have 4 months old son and I can’t get hired in this industry anymore despite all my hard work. They are not willing to return my personal belongings. They don’t want to even pay me a severance package despite they are the ones who fired me and they have threatened me with a law suit if I speak out. That is why I have kept my name and personal information confidential.
At this point I don’t know what to do or who ask for help. I am only praying to god and asking him to save and protect my family.
Sincerely,
An Iranian
