NBC News will refuse to pay “Today” show host Matt Lauer, fired over sexual misconduct allegations, for the remainder of his contract, the network confirmed to The Hill on Friday.
Lauer “will not be paid past his last day of work,” CNN first reported, following a separate report that lawyers representing Lauer were seeking another $30 million from the network.
Attorneys for the former host are pushing for NBC to pay out the remainder of his $20 million per year contract with the popular morning entertainment and news program, which was set to expire in mid-2019.
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Two sources near him told CNN that it was doubtful that Lauer, who has expressed remorse over his actions, would push the network for a payout.
A source familiar with the situation told Page Six that “there is no way” the network will pay out the rest of the contract, citing Lauer’s breach of the contract’s morality clause, a commonly included clause in news contracts that allows companies to fire employees for behavior that damages the company’s reputation.
NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack announced Wednesday that the network had fired Lauer after it received a “detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” Several reports surfaced Wednesday detailing Lauer’s misconduct over several years heading the show.
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