One associate producer at “60 Minutes” on CBS filed a lawsuit accusing the network of gender discrimination and retaliation, troubling some of the news program’s many watchers in Florida. The woman alleges she was subjected to further mistreatment after filing a complaint about inappropriate conduct by her supervisor. Based in London, she said that a producer on the program texted her a photo that caused her discomfort and fear. According to the producer, he intended to send the photo to his sister but sent it to his subordinate at work instead.
In response to the lawsuit, CBS declared the company’s innocence and said it plans to pursue a vigorous defense. The company said that it had honored the woman’s request to not work with the producer after the incident and denied any retaliation against her for filing the complaint. The woman says, however, that the human resources department at the network conducted an investigation, advised her to stay at home if she didn’t want to work with the man and encouraged her to meet one-on-one with him to “work through” the problem. She says that she was stripped of all of her responsibilities for the program and essentially terminated after the investigation into her complaint was closed.
The lawsuit is only the latest sexual harassment complaint to hit CBS and other entertainment executives. Following the exposure of the widespread allegations against Harvey Weinstein, several CBS executives and prominent figures were among many in the entertainment industry who left their jobs following allegations of sexual misconduct on the job, including the then-president of the network.
Sexual harassment and gender discrimination continue to affect women’s performance and success on the job. People who have lost out on opportunities or jobs due to workplace discrimination or harassment may consult an employment law attorney about their options to seek justice.