CBS News Chief Correspondent Matt Gutman Accused of Sexual Harassment in Explosive Wrongful Termination Lawsuit

CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman is facing serious allegations of sexual harassment in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former ABC News colleague. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 14, accuses Gutman of making inappropriate, "sexualized" comments on two separate occasions while the pair worked together at ABC News.

The lawsuit, which also names ABC, Disney, and ABC News Los Angeles bureau chief David Herndon as defendants, alleges that Gutman created a "hostile" work environment through harassment based on sex and gender. Gutman, 48, who joined CBS News as chief correspondent in December 2025 after 17 years at ABC, has not publicly responded to the allegations.

The Allegations: Two Incidents of "Sexualized" Behavior

The complaint details two specific incidents involving Gutman that Said claims contributed to a hostile work environment.

Incident One: Rating a Female Correspondent

According to the lawsuit, Said was placed on a "male-only team" that included Gutman and two other male crew members. While the group was waiting in a public line during an assignment, Gutman allegedly "initiated a discussion rating a female correspondent's appearance and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes".

The other men joined in, continuing to "assess the woman's body and looks in Said's presence," the complaint states. The men then attempted to draw Said into the conversation by soliciting her opinion, but she declined and stated the discussion was inappropriate.

Incident Two: A "Sexualized Insinuation"

During a separate assignment, a press day for a movie release, Said and Gutman disagreed about whether the team should leave the work site. According to the complaint, Gutman responded in front of multiple coworkers by "making a sexualized insinuation that Said must have an after-hours date in the city and that this is why she did not want to relocate".

The lawsuit argues that the remark, "made audibly to others, demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype".

The Broader Lawsuit: Wrongful Termination and Mental Health Struggles

The allegations against Gutman are part of a broader lawsuit in which Said claims she was wrongfully terminated from ABC News in March 2025 after struggling with her mental health.

Said worked as a field producer in ABC News' Los Angeles bureau from May 2021 to March 2025. According to the complaint, she developed symptoms of depression in 2021 and was advised by her doctor to reduce her workload.

In May 2022, despite still experiencing symptoms from COVID-19, Said says she was "strongly urged" by management to cover the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. While on location, she was required to interview child survivors who had witnessed the killing of their classmates and teachers.

Following the Uvalde coverage, Said experienced "severe psychological symptoms" and requested time off. Her initial request for a short leave was allegedly denied. A psychiatrist eventually approved a medical leave beginning in August 2022.

However, the lawsuit alleges that supervisors and coworkers continued to reach out to her for work while she was on leave. In January 2023, a psychiatrist cleared Said to return to work, subject to reasonable accommodations designed to protect her from re-exposure to trauma triggers. According to the complaint, those accommodations were rejected. The lawsuit further claims that when Said attempted to address the denial through human resources, she was presented with an ultimatum: return to work without any accommodations or not return at all.

In January 2025, Said was assigned to cover the Los Angeles wildfires and additional weather events. After approximately three weeks in the field, she was sent home by a supervisor who observed her deteriorating physical condition. Later that year, while covering a weather-related story, she sustained a foot injury when heavy equipment struck her. Her request for medical leave was allegedly denied after being evaluated by a company doctor.

Attorney Statements: Seeking "Meaningful Change"

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Shegerian & Associates, the firm representing Said, said the circumstances surrounding her termination "constitute clear violations of the law, with profound and lasting consequences for her both personally and professionally".

"While this case centers on Ms. Said's experience, we have reason to believe that ABC's conduct was not an isolated incident," the firm continued. "Ms. Said's decision to come forward reflects remarkable courage, and we hope her actions will inspire others who have faced similar treatment to do the same. Meaningful change in the workplace can only occur when employees are empowered to speak out against injustice".

Gutman's Profile and Career

Gutman spent 17 years at ABC News before joining CBS News in December 2025 as chief news correspondent. He is the lead correspondent for 48 Hours and a contributor to 60 Minutes.

Gutman was the first high-profile on-air talent hire under CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, who took charge of the division in October 2025. He recently filled in as anchor of the CBS Evening News, scoring higher ratings than the program's regular anchor.

Before joining CBS, Gutman was twice suspended at ABC News: once for making false statements on-air after the death of Kobe Bryant, and again for violating the company's COVID-19 safety policy.

Responses

Gutman and CBS News have not immediately responded to requests for comment. A Disney representative declined comment, stating that executives had not yet seen Said's complaint. ABC News has also not commented on the litigation.

What's at Stake

Said is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and other relief, and has requested a jury trial. The complaint does not specify an exact damages figure beyond stating that the amount demanded exceeds $35,000. The lawsuit includes claims of discrimination in violation of California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), hostile work environment harassment, retaliation, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, wrongful termination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.