Former News 12 NJ Anchor — Annalisa Klebers — Sues Station; Alleges At-Work Bullying Led to Suicide Attempt

Annalisa Klebers, a former anchor at News 12 New Jersey and News 12 Connecticut, has filed a legal claim alleging that the station’s parent company, Altice, subjected her to workplace bullying after she requested a raise.

Klebers claims the mistreatment led to a “psychotic break” and a suicide attempt, stating that she “almost lost her life” as a result in 2022.

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News 12 and Altice have denied the allegations, describing them as “entirely baseless” and vowing to defend against the claims “vigorously.”

“I Felt Humilated,” News 12 New Jersey Anchor Alleges

Klebers, who joined the station in April 2018, said the issues began after she requested a new contract with higher pay following several years of employment.

In fact, she alleges that management initially praised her work ethic _— especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when she took on additional responsibilities including working extra duties in the studio like operating her own camera and teleprompter.

According to her claim, filed with the American Arbitration Association in December, she was commended for her efforts but later discovered that her compensation lagged behind that of her colleagues. The claim was published by multiple outlets including the New York Post.

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While Klebers reportedly earned an annual salary of $71,000 and received a $4,200 bonus during this period, she learned that others had been awarded more substantial bonuses.

Klebers claims that after raising concerns, management’s attitude toward her shifted.

“I felt humiliated. I was being alienated from the rest of the news team. Management began blaming technical difficulties on me that I had no control over,” she told the New York Post last week. “I did everything managers asked of me and more.”

“I felt like my world was caving in,” Anchor Alleges

Klebers alleges she was given an excessive workload, working from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days,  and says she tasked with responsibilities like “fixing her co-anchors’ typos,” according to The Daily Mail. 

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In the claim, Klebers alleges that she was even cut out of on-air promotions and commercials. She says she was subjected to increase micromanagement that her male co-anchor Rick Holmes was not.

“Management began blaming technical errors on me, things I had no control over. I brought up show concerns regarding errors in my male co-anchor's scripts and graphics to management,” she told The Daily Mail.

“I felt like my world was caving in,” Klebers said. She filed a formal complaint in 2022 but ultimately resigned after Altice reportedly claimed an investigation was necessary, the outlet reports.

In April 2022, Klebers said she suffered a psychotic break, which resulted in a suicide attempt. In fact, her husband told The New York Post hat she spent six days in a psychiatric hospital for treatment following that attempt. 

Klebers Was Ultimately Fired in 2022

While on disability leave, Klebers alleges she was ultimately fired. News 12 and Altice, however, dispute this claim in a statement shared with the media including AdWeek. 

“Ms. Klebers was provided generous benefits and services as an employee of News 12, including an extended leave of absence,” Altice said in the statement.

The company added that Klebers “chose not to extend her leave of absence or to return to the workplace.”

“These claims are entirely baseless, were filed a year ago, and we will continue to defend against them vigorously,” the statement continued.

Klebers’ Legal and Career Fallout

Klebers is seeking compensation for lost income, asserting that her career as a news anchor has been irreparably damaged.

In fact, her attorney told the media that she sees no pathway back to the newsroom, saying, “She doesn’t see any avenue back to an anchor desk in any newsroom anywhere.”

Klebers wrote on social media this month that she's speaking out in the hopes of making changes for others.

"I hope that sharing my story sparks change for women’s equality in the workplace. I hope that this brings awareness to the consequences that corporate discrimination and retaliation have on employees and their families. Something has to change," she wrote on Facebook. 

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.