Matt Lauer won't get a payout from NBC

Former NBC host Matt Lauer. Picture / AP

Matt Lauer won't get his $US30 million ($44m) payout from from NBC News, despite the disgraced US anchor's lawyers arguing he still has a year to run on his contract.

Lauer, who was fired earlier this week following sexual misconduct allegations, will only be paid to the last day he worked , NBC ruled on Friday during staff meeting, reports the New York Post.

According to New York Post offshoot Page Six, lawyers for Lauer had gone through his contract he see if he could get the remainder of his the tens of millions left to run on his contract through to 2018.

But NBC executives told staff that Lauer would not be paid anything extra because he was terminated "for cause".

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack on Friday said an internal review into Lauer's alleged sexual misconduct is underway, including how it happened and why it wasn't stopped earlier.

In a company-wide memo released publicly, Lack said those are among the questions NBC employees are asking in the wake of the "Today" host's firing for what Lack labeled "appalling behavior."

A team of NBC Universal legal and human resources leaders have started a "thorough and timely review" of what occurred and how the company can foster greater transparency and mutual respect, Lack said in the memo.

"At the conclusion of the review we will share what we've learned, no matter how painful, and act on it," he said.

His memo didn't address if the report will be made public.

NBC News publicists didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reiterating comments from a memo he sent Wednesday, Lack said the top priority is to create a safe workplace environment and that unacceptable actions are "met with consequences, no matter who the offender."

NBC's announcement Tuesday that Lauer was being fired for "inappropriate sexual behavior"meant that the network was cutting loose the popular, long-established star of its highly lucrative morning show.

How much Lauer's status may have protected him from allegations is among the questions raised by observers. NBC has said current executives didn't receive any complaints before the one Monday that triggered Lauer's immediate dismissal the next day.

- Associated Press