NEWSFormer ‘E! News’ Host Catt Sadler May Sue Network Over Pay Gap
Catt Sadler may be considering pursuing legal action against her former employer, E! News.
Back in December, the 43-year-old former E! News host quit her job after she alleged there was an “unfair” pay gap between her and her then co-host Jason Kennedy.
“I almost felt a little naive that I was being taken advantage of,” Catt said on Sirius XM’s Conversations with Maria Menounos on Thursday, February 8, while discussing Jason’s doubled salary. “I had been there for more than a decade … I was an ideal employee, and by the way I think pretty damn good at my job, to then find out that I was, and again this isn’t just a little less for me, it was half, it just was insulting, I guess.”
She added, “By the way, there is something called the equal pay act … it is unlawful to discriminate, it is sexual discrimination, so you better believe that people are going to say on record what protects them in a certain, particular instance.”
“Wait, so are you suing E! for this? Because you can,” Maria asked. “Not today,” Catt responded. “But you might? You have a year, right? Or something like that? Menounos asked, before pausing and adding, “Got it. Yeah, I could see that.”
While Catt did not discuss any more details about her possibly pursuing legal action, she did double down on her previous statements of support of her co-host Jason.
“Jason had to do what Jason had to,” Catt explained. “I always, always have stood by his side and he’s always stood by mine. I’ve said it from day one, I don’t know how many times I’ve said it in the press, how many different ways I’ve said ‘This has nothing to do with him, this has everything to do with me and the gross disparity. Jason was always a champion of mine.”
As previously reported, NBC execs denied there was a pay disparity between Catt and Jason as they argued that the two had completely different roles.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there. Jason Kennedy and Catt Sadler had different roles, and therefore different salaries,” NBC exec Frances Berwick said. "Catt was focused on daytime; Jason Kennedy is on prime evening news, plus red carpet… Our employees’ salaries are based on their roles and their expertise, regardless of gender. So we wish Catt well, but I hope that sets the record straight on that.”
As OK! readers’ know, Catt left E! in December, after working nearly 12 years for the network. She later explained on her blog that her departure was due to the lack of resolution for the pay gap between her and Jason’s salaries.
Do you miss seeing Catt on E! News? Sound off in the comments!
