Gretchen Carlson, the former host of the popular morning news program Fox & Friends from 2006 to 2013, has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes. According to the lawsuit, after Carlson reported mistreatment by her male colleagues, including her former co-host Steve Doocy, Ailes mocked her and demoted her to the network’s afternoon program at reduced pay in retaliation. The lawsuit also alleges that Ailes demanded sex from Carlson as a way to improve her position with the network and that he would frequently say sexually degrading things to her such as to “turn around so he could view her posterior.”
Bloomberg Politics' Supercut of On-Air Sexual Harassment of Gretchen Carlson
Since news of the lawsuit broke, at least 10 other female Fox News employees and on-air personalities have come forward with similar complaints against Ailes. Among the complaints include claims that Ailes would demand that women only wear dresses on air, and that he would base his decision to hire women on whether or not he wanted to have sex with them. Those that have come forward have claimed that Ailes “hated” Carlson and would tell other employees that she was a “crazy, vindictive bitch,” among other things.
Carlson alleges that she was fired after resisting Ailes’ sexual advances. In response, Ailes has released a statement claiming that Carlson’s lawsuit is “not only offensive [but also] wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.”
For more information, check out the original article published by The Huffington Post.
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If you have received repeated, unwanted sexual advances at work or have been mistreated based on your sex, know that you can take action. At the Law Office of Shands M. Wulbern, P.A., our powerful Jacksonville employment law attorney can help you file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the offending party and assert your rights in a court of law. To find out more about what our 17+ years of experience can do for you, schedule a free consultation today.