Former CBS4 reporter Michele Gillen settles age, gender discrimination suit with station
Last year, former CBS4 investigative reporter Michele Gillen sued the station in federal court, accusing her ex-colleagues of age and gender discrimination.
Gillen, the award-winning journalist whose contract was not renewed in 2016, said she was bullied and harassed, calling out CBS4 star investigative reporter and former Miami Herald columnist Jim DeFede. CBS4 is the Miami Herald’s news partner.
The case was set to go to trial this week, but the parties reached a confidential settlement agreement, federal records show.
In the one-page letter dated Nov. 26, the attorneys for both parties notified the court that “the parties have resolved this action and will file the appropriate dismissal documents with the Court.”
The law firm representing Gillen, Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, and the law firm representing CBS, Ackerman LLP, could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
Mike Nelson, CBS Television Stations senior vice president of communications, said in a statement that “WFOR-TV, CBS and Michele Gillen have reached an amicable resolution. The parties will have no additional comment.”
Gillen joined WFOR-TV as a news reporter in 1997 after working for another CBS affiliate in Los Angeles. Over the years she won more than two dozen regional Emmys.
In the lawsuit, Gillen called the newsroom “toxic” toward women and said she was often overlooked for important projects. She named DeFede, saying he made harmful comments to her and about women.
She said she was removed from her post as anchor of her public-affairs show, “Focus on South Florida,” after she filed harassment claims with the human resources department.
Gillen could not be reached for comment.
This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
