‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ Workplace Under Investigation

Syndicated daytime talker “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is under an internal investigation by WarnerMedia following numerous reports of workplace problems. A number of staff members recently spoke out anonymously to Buzzfeed about their experiences of intimidation and racism working on the show, including employees allegedly being fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days, facing microaggressions. and a culture of bullying and by executive producers. No specific claims were made against DeGeneres, but some staff claimed they were told not to speak to her if she was in the office. 

Executives from show producer Telepictures and distributor Warner Bros. Television sent a memo to staff members last week saying they have engaged WBTV-owner WarnerMedia’s employee relations group and a third party firm, who will interview current and former staffers about their experiences on the set.

The investigation comes on the heels of complaints from staff members during the coronavirus lockdown. The core stage crew, consisting of more than 30 employees, claim they  initially received no written communication about the status of their working hours, pay, or inquiries about their mental and physical health from producers.