Anchor finds out her male co-host earned double her salary. She ensured her next move made headlines

In 2017, E! News host, Catt Sadler took a stand against gender-based wage discrimination. Taking to her website, Sadler set the record straight that she was quitting after 12 years after finding out that her co-host at the time, Jason Kennedy, allegedly made nearly double her salary. Sadler said while the anchor's job was a dream come true for her, the pay gap was too hard for her to swallow. While Sadler just wanted to give her viewers an explanation, her blog post went viral inspiring women all across the world.

A trailblazing stand against pay discrimination 

At the time, Sadler’s contract was coming to an end and she was told by E! executives that they wanted to extend it. However, she was also "informed and made aware" that her male co-host at the network, who started in the same year as her, was making nearly double of what she made.

“That was really hard to swallow," Sadler wrote. 

She shared that her team negotiated to be paid equally as Kennedy who served as co-host of E! News as well as a correspondent for red carpet coverage. However, Saddler admitted that while she was “in shock” she felt insulted. Ultimately, she made the decision to leave the network.  

“It’s almost insulting because you know you work really hard. I’m a single mom of two kids. I’ve given my all to this network. I’ve sacrificed time away from my family and I have dedicated my entire career to this network," Sadler had said. She added that the pay disparity made her feel small and underappreciated which led to her making the decision to leave. 

"How can I remain silent when my rights under the law have been violated?" Sadler said in her post. She added that it was also about making things better for the next generation of girls by taking a stand. In a tweet, Sadler marked her last day at E! News and thanked everyone for the memories. 

Spread of alleged misinformation

Months after Saldler made the allegations, in early 2018, Frances Berwick, then president (now chariman) of NBCU Cable Entertainment’s lifestyle networks which include E! News, disputed her claims. Answering questions from reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Berwick said there was a  “lot of misinformation” in the press, around Sadler's departure. 

Berwick added that Kennerdy and Sadler had different roles at the network because of which their salaries were different. 

“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," Berwick said as per a USA Today report.  This was starkly in line with an earlier statement issued to news networks by E! 

However, Sadler had different thoughts. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter Sadler said her departure wasn't just about being underpaid but "about the gross disparity between two similarly situated equals at the network."

She added that her frustration and disparity were based on Kennedy and her being equals as they both started at the network at the same time and did similar jobs.

This article originally appeared 1 month ago.