News Anchor Says She was Bullied into a ‘Psychotic Break’ by Bosses

She once lit up the newsroom with her infectious positivity. But for Annalisa Klebers, her pursuit of fairness turned her career into a nightmare.

The former News12 anchor, known for her award-winning journalism, claims her bosses retaliated with relentless bullying after she dared to ask for equal pay. The ordeal, she says, pushed her to a psychotic break and nearly cost her life.

“What management did to me changed my life forever. I almost lost my life. My children almost lost their mother,” Klebers told The Post. “I felt like my whole world was caving in.”

Klebers, 42, joined News12 in April 2018, anchoring morning broadcasts for the Altice USA-owned stations in Connecticut and New Jersey. Her managers initially praised her intelligence and work ethic, even calling her the “sunshine of the newsroom,” according to claims filed with the American Arbitration Association.

During the pandemic, Klebers carried the weight of the newsroom on her shoulders. Often one of just two staff members in the building, she managed her own reporting while ensuring cameras, lights, and teleprompters were operational. Her dedication earned her accolades and a $4,200 bonus.

But when she discovered male colleagues were receiving double her bonus, she voiced her concerns. That’s when the sunny workplace she once knew turned into a stormy battleground.

“I felt humiliated,” Klebers said. “I was being alienated from the rest of the news team. Management began blaming technical difficulties on me that I had no control over.”

After her request for fair pay, she alleges, supervisors began excluding her from meetings and assigning her demeaning tasks, such as fixing her co-anchor’s typos. Klebers claims she was even cut from a promotional advertisement for storm coverage she led—only to be replaced by a male colleague who had called out sick that day.

“It felt like management wanted me to quit or react poorly to the things they were doing to me,” she added.

As the pressure mounted, Klebers filed a formal complaint and attempted to resign. But Altice USA allegedly refused to accept her resignation, citing the need for an internal investigation.

“It all sent me into a spiral,” she said. “It was too much.”

On May 13, 2022, the stress reached a breaking point. In front of her husband and children, Klebers suffered a psychotic break.

“She became almost catatonic, staring into space and moving around the house inexplicably,” her husband Erik revealed. Doctors later confirmed her actions were attempts at suicide.

Klebers spent six harrowing days in a psychiatric facility on suicide watch. While she was on disability leave, Altice terminated her employment, a move her attorney, Anthony Mango, described as the final blow.

“This was brought about by her simply raising an issue for equal pay in good faith,” Mango said. “It’s really rendered her disabled. Her career is effectively over.”

Klebers is now seeking compensation through the American Arbitration Association for the income she believes she would have earned as an anchor. But she’s also speaking out to ensure no one else endures the same fate.

“This cannot happen to another person, woman or man, that works in a corporate environment. It should be criminal,” she said.

An Altice USA spokesperson denied the allegations, claiming, “News12 prides itself on providing an inclusive and equitable workplace where employees can thrive and are compensated based on their skills, contributions, and merit. Any gender discrimination claims are entirely baseless, and we will defend against them vigorously.”

For Klebers, the journey to healing continues. But her story remains a chilling reminder of the human cost of workplace inequity.