Sacramento, CA Women who have been victims of sexual harassment at work may have given a little cheer when Gretchen Carlson filed a wrongful termination lawsuit and sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes, Carlson's former boss at Fox News. And although the lawsuit was filed in New Jersey, the implications of the suit will likely be felt across the US, as the defendant argues the lawsuit should be dismissed and sent to arbitration. In the meantime, more women have come forward alleging a pattern of sexual harassment from Ailes.
Carlson was a long-time television host, including hosting an afternoon program called "The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson" on Fox News. She is a graduate of Stanford University, a best-selling author, an award-winning journalist, and a former Miss America.
According to court documents, Carlson's employment with Fox News was terminated on June 23, 2016, by Ailes in retaliation for Carlson refusing Ailes' sexual advances. Carlson alleges that when she met with Ailes to discuss his discriminatory treatment of her, Ailes commented that some problems are easier to solve through a sexual relationship. Carlson then rejected Ailes' demands for sex and within the year her employment at Fox News was ended.
"Notwithstanding her strong performance and tireless work ethic, however, Ailes denied Carlson fair compensation, desirable assignments and other career-enhancing opportunities in retaliation for her complaints of harassment and discrimination and because she rejected his sexual advances," the lawsuit alleges.
Carlson had previously complained about a hostile work environment created by Steve Doocy on the show Fox & Friends, in which Doocy, Carlson's co-host, mocked her, shunned her, belittled her, and treated her as a "blond female prop." Ailes' alleged response to Carlson's complaint was to tell her she needed to "get along with the boys."
Ailes has since left his position as CEO of Fox News, after more women came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. Included among those was Megyn Kelly, who said Ailes sexually harassed her around 10 years ago. So far, the lawsuit names only Ailes as a defendant, not Fox News or 21st Century Fox.
In response to the lawsuit, Ailes has filed a motion to dismiss, noting that Carlson agreed to arbitration when she signed her contract with the network. The contract requires Carlson to take any employment dispute with Fox News to a confidential arbitration panel, rather than to a court. Ailes' attorneys argue that just because Ailes is named in the lawsuit and Fox is not, does not negate the arbitration clause, according to the Los Angeles Times (7/8/16).