Former ABC News producer Samira Said has filed a lawsuit, alleging that she experienced sex- and gender-based harassment while working with Gutman at ABC News
Credit: Manoli Figetakis/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman has been accused of making inappropriate, “sexualized” comments to a former female colleague, according to a newly filed lawsuit
- In her complaint, former ABC News producer Samira Said alleges that she witnessed Gutman behave inappropriately on two separate occasions, which she claims created a hostile work environment
- The alleged incidents occurred when the pair worked together at ABC News, per the complaint
CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman has been accused of making inappropriate, “sexualized” comments to a former female colleague during his time at ABC News, according to a newly filed wrongful termination lawsuit.
The complaint, which was obtained by PEOPLE, was filed by former ABC News employee Samira Said in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 14.
Gutman, 48, is listed as a defendant, along with ABC, Disney and ABC News bureau chief David Herndon.
Said states in the complaint that she worked as a field producer in ABC News’ L.A. bureau from May 2021 to March 2025 and claims that she was wrongfully terminated after being denied medical leave on multiple occasions.
Said further alleges that Gutman was her supervisor at the time of her employment with ABC News, and that he contributed to a “hostile” work environment — which she claims included harassment on the basis of sex and gender — on more than one occasion.
Said goes on to claim that she was once placed on a male-only team that included Gutman and two other 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,” according to the complaint.
The complaint claims the other men joined the conversation and “continu[ed] to assess the woman’s body and looks in Said’s presence.”
The men allegedly attempted to bring Said into the conversation by asking for her opinion, but she declined and said the discussion was inappropriate.
Said alleges that Gutman made another inappropriate remark during a separate work assignment.
According to the complaint, Said and Gutman disagreed about whether their team should leave a work site during a press day for a movie release. Gutman allegedly responded in front of several co-workers 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 complaint claims the remark “demeaned Said and reduced her professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype.”
Gutman joined CBS News as chief news correspondent in December 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is the lead correspondent for 48 Hours and a contributor to 60 Minutes.
Gutman and CBS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Credit: ABC/LORENZO BEVILAQUA
The allegations involving Gutman are part of a broader lawsuit in which Said claims she was subjected to discrimination and retaliation and that ABC and Disney failed to accommodate her health needs before ultimately terminating her employment.
Said alleges she sought psychiatric treatment after developing symptoms of depression in 2021 and was advised by her doctor to reduce her workload. The following year, she says she contracted COVID-19 and was nevertheless “strongly urged” by management to take a high-profile assignment covering the May 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
After covering the shooting and interviewing children who had witnessed their classmates and teachers being killed, Said alleges she experienced “severe psychological symptoms” and asked for time off.
Her initial request for a short leave was allegedly denied, according to the complaint, though she was ultimately approved for medical leave beginning in August 2022.
Said claims that supervisors and co-workers continued reaching out to her for work while she was on leave. The lawsuit alleges that, “out of concern for adverse consequences,” she continued helping with requests despite still experiencing the symptoms that had led her to take leave.
Said alleges that when a psychiatrist eventually cleared her to return to work with accommodations, those requests were rejected.
The lawsuit further alleges that Said was assigned to cover the L.A. wildfires in January 2025 despite her previous accommodation requests. After approximately three weeks in the field, a supervisor allegedly sent her home after observing that her physical condition was deteriorating.
Said was later assigned to cover additional hazardous weather and sustained a workplace injury when heavy equipment struck her foot, resulting in a bone contusion, according to the complaint.
On March 5, 2025, Said was invited to what had been characterized as a routine check-in before being told that her employment was being terminated, per the complaint.
NEED TO KNOW
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
ABC and Disney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the lawsuit.
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.
Said’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Read the full article here
