Former News 12 anchor Annalisa Clevers claims her fight for equal pay led to severe retaliation at work, leading to her becoming mentally unstable and on suicide watch.
The award-winning journalist, known for his dedication and professionalism, has filed a complaint with the American Arbitration Association accusing his former employer, Altice USA, of discrimination and abuse.
Ms. Clevers, 42, anchored News12’s morning news in Connecticut and New Jersey, earning praise from her boss, who once called her “the sunshine of the newsroom.” But her professional life took a turn for the worse when she demanded a new contract with a better salary after learning that she was earning $71,000 (a figure significantly lower than her colleagues’ compensation).
According to Clevers, her request was met with hostility. She claims she was “gassed” by management, excluded from meetings, and tasked with humiliating tasks, including correcting her co-anchor’s typos. “What the management did to me changed my life forever. It almost killed me. My children almost lost their mother,” she told the New York Post. .
Clevers, who was hired in April 2018, has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, often managing the newsroom alone while covering major events such as Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s daily briefings. . For her efforts, she earned a $4,200 bonus, half of what her colleagues received. She claimed that when she raised concerns about pay disparity, management began to ostracize her, even excluding her from promotional campaigns she had been leading.
Crevers, who felt increasingly alienated, filed formal charges, but ultimately chose to resign. However, Artis refused to step down, citing the need to investigate her claims. The stress has become enormous.
“On Friday, May 13, 2022, I felt very unwell,” she said.
“I went mental. I was suicidal. This all happened in front of my husband, my children and my sister.”
Her husband, Eric, described her as “catatonic” and said she repeatedly tried to gain access to the garage, but doctors later ruled it was a suicide attempt. Mr. Clevers was hospitalized for six days and placed on suicide watch.
While on disability leave, Mr. Clevers was fired from Altice. Her lawyer Anthony Mango said her career had been irreparably damaged. “This was just caused by her speaking out in good faith and raising the issue of equal pay.”
“It really disabled her.”
Clevers is seeking compensation for lost profits and hopes this lawsuit will prevent similar incidents in the future. “In a corporate environment, something like this doesn’t happen to anyone else, female or male. It should be a crime,” she said.
Altice USA denies the allegations, stating: Any claims of sex discrimination are completely baseless and we will vigorously defend against them. ”
