Don Lemon Back at CNN After Sexist Comments -- With a Caveat

Lemon will be back in the CNN This Morning anchor chair this week.

Don Lemon will be back behind the anchor desk on CNN This Morning after his "scheduled" time off, but he will need to do some off camera work while he makes his way back. 

The CNN veteran will participate in "formal training," the network's chief executive said in an email to employees Monday night, after he opined about women's "prime" during a discussion about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. 

DONT MISS: Don Lemon Apologizes for Comments He Made About a Women's Prime

“I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation," Licht said in the memo, according to CNN. "He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously."

The situation in question occurred after Lemon said, "this whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable.  Ithink that -- I think it's the wrong road to go down. She says people -- politicians or something are not in their prime? Nikki Haley isn't in her prime. Sorry. When a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."

Lemon's female co-hosts were clearly baffled by his insinuations and asked him to explain further, which prompted Lemon to retort, "Google it."

The Backlash

Don Lemon was conspicuously missing from his anchor chair on CNN This Morning the day after his Haley comments, but at least one insider says the absence was scheduled.

Don took to Twitter a few hours after the show aired to say he was sorry.

The apology wasn't enough for most people of the right side of the political spectrum, including the original subject of his diatribe.

"Liberals can't stand the idea of having competency tests for older politicians to make sure they can do the job. BTW it's always the liberals who are the most sexist," Haley said on Twitter. 

There was even backlash against his apology.

And despite agreeing with CNN's requirement to take training, many are far from ready to forgive Lemon.