Salesforce Worker Allegedly Laid Off for Taking Care of Father

Salesforce Inc. is being sued by a former consultant claiming he was terminated in a reduction in force after he took medical leave to take care of his father with cancer.

The company’s move to select Jeremy John for a layoff was related to his father’s disability and in response to him taking time off under the Family Medical Leave Act, according to a complaint filed Thursday in the US District Court for the District of Connecticut.

John was hired by Salesforce in January 2022 and his father was rediagnosed with cancer by September 2023. He was approved to go on leave from October 2023 to January 2024 to care for his father while he went through treatment, but was laid off months later “despite his consistent high performance, leadership contributions, and the existence of ongoing projects.”

“Further, Salesforce’s allegations of a poor performance rating took place after Salesforce allegedly selected John for reduction in force,” the complaint said. “John believes that the stated reason for his termination was pretextual.”

Once John was informed about his position being eliminated in February, he sought to pursue other job opportunities within Salesforce. But “all such opportunities were either blocked or frozen, further reinforcing the belief that the termination decision was not based on legitimate business reasons,” the complaint said.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial, punitive damages, and compensatory damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act and FMLA. The filing claims John has suffered from lost wages, benefits, and health insurance, in addition to emotional and psychological distress.

A Salesforce spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

McMinn Employment Law Firm LLC represents John.

The case is John v. Salesforce, Inc., D. Conn., No. 3:26-cv-00636, complaint filed 4/23/26.