Charlie Rose has reached a settlement with three former CBS employees who accused him of sexual harassment. The lawsuit, which was set to go to trial, was dismissed after both parties agreed to a settlement. The terms were not publicly disclosed.
The accusers—Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal, and Chelsea Wei—issued a statement explaining that the case was about “workplace interactions.” They stated that after years of litigation, both sides had gained a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Reflecting on the process, they acknowledged that different people could interpret the same conduct differently. They emphasized that they did not attribute any ill intent to Rose.
Rose, who co-anchored CBS This Morning, was fired in 2017 after a Washington Post report revealed that over two dozen women had accused him of sexual misconduct spanning three decades. Shortly after, Harris, McNeal, and Wei filed a lawsuit in New York, alleging repeated sexual harassment and retaliation. CBS swiftly settled the case.
Harris, who worked as a broadcast associate and associate producer for Rose, McNeal, Rose’s executive assistant, and Wei, who held various roles at CBS, claimed that Rose repeatedly touched them inappropriately and made sexual advances. They accused him of caressing their shoulders, arms, and legs during work.
Rose, in his defense, argued that his behavior was part of “routine workplace interactions and banter.” His lawyer, Kenneth Goldberg, stated that he intended to challenge the accusers’ credibility. Goldberg pointed to internal CBS records suggesting that one accuser, Wei, told HR that she had never experienced inappropriate behavior from Rose. He also cited an instance where Harris had written that her interactions with Rose were “always professional and respectful,” despite noting to a therapist that the harassment was “very subtle.” Additionally, McNeal had reportedly told her therapist that she had “0 personal experience” of harassment.
Earlier in the case, the women asserted that sexual harassment includes less overt behavior such as subtle comments and physical conduct of a sexual nature. Harris provided testimony about an instance when Rose allegedly placed his hand beneath her while she was sitting on a bench in a skirt. She claimed that he intentionally positioned his hand so that it rested under her buttocks, which she interpreted as harassment.
In 2019, the court dismissed the women’s retaliation claims but allowed the discrimination case to continue. The settlement now brings an end to the case, preventing it from being refiled. A court document filed on November 24 confirmed that the lawsuit was “discontinued with prejudice.”
A lawyer representing the women declined to comment on the settlement.
Since his departure from CBS, Rose has maintained a YouTube channel, where he interviews various guests, including figures like Francis Ford Coppola and James Earl Jones.
