Morgan Stanley Fires 4 Over Visit to Strip Club

Morgan Stanley has fired four employees in recent weeks after they accompanied at least one client to a strip club, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The four -- a stock-research analyst and three salesmen -- worked in Morgan Stanley’s institutional-equities division. They were technology industry specialists who visited a strip club with one or more clients during a conference held by the firm in Phoenix in November, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Morgan Stanley said it declined to comment on personnel matters as a matter of policy. The firings were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Wall Street firms have had to contend with a series of sexual discrimination suits in recent years, prompting firms to crack down on offensive behavior in the workplace and make promotions and compensation plans more equitable for women.