NBC, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers Commit to Pay Staff for 3 Weeks Amid Writers Strike

The hosts will personally cover the salaries of their workers on the third week, and healthcare will be extended through September amid the WGA strike.

Seth Meyers during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon.
Getty

Seth Meyers during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon.

Seth Meyers during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon.

The Tonight Show and Late Night staff were informed Wednesday that NBC, along with Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, will cover their pay for three weeks during the Writers Guild of America strike, which has shut down the programs.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC intends on providing the first two weeks worth of pay, with Fallon and Meyers personally covering the third week for their respective employees. Health insurance was also guaranteed through September. 

The announcement was made during production calls attended by Fallon and Meyers, who do not typically participate in those meetings. 

Fallon’s attendance comes one day after Sarah Kobos, senior photo research coordinator at The Tonight Show, publicly called out the host over his absence in a meeting where his own crew were initially told that NBC would only pay them for one more week, and their healthcare would expire at the end of the month.   

At a meeting Jimmy wasn't even at, we are told NBC decided to stop paying us after this week and end our health insurance after this month if the strike is ongoing. They won't even tell us if we will technically be furloughed. Just active employees who aren't paid.

— Sarah Kobos (@skobos) May 2, 2023

He wasn’t even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won’t get paid after this week. @jimmyfallon please support your staff. Had fun bowling with ya last week, but a fun party won’t pay my rent https://t.co/hbOqiXxdFb

— Sarah Kobos (@skobos) May 2, 2023

Kobos said she heard Meyers was in the Late Night production meeting that same day, and that he vowed to try and take care of his team when NBC no longer would. 

Kobos provided an update today with an outline of the plan for the upcoming three weeks, similar to what has been reported by THR

I have a very good update! We ended up having our production meeting this morn too and @jimmyfallon was there. He got NBC to give us a second week of pay, and he will be paying us himself for a third week. We also are going to have healthcare extended through Sept. ✊ Solidarity! https://t.co/yNPMsuFLgl

— Sarah Kobos (@skobos) May 3, 2023

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