She also worked as a reporter for CNBC and CNET. In an interview, Francis described the events that she says led up to her being moved off the air. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. For a settlement this large, there would probably need to be pretty convincing evidence of an obvious and gross disparity in pay, Ari Wilkenfeld, a partner at the Atkinson Law Group in Bethesda, Md., who isn't connected to the case, told the newspaper. Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election, the company said in a statement that month, per Variety. Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election, Fox News Media said in a statement. When that day came around, Francis said she was ready to go on air when a message popped up on her teleprompter reading: Youve been canceled.. Wow,' she added. Wow, she recalled. Francis took the issue to the New York Department of Labor, who announcedin December of 2021 that they would pursue an investigation over [her] gender discrimination and retaliation complaints. While Francis did not confirm the settlement herself, the Washington Post reported in June that she and Fox had reached a $15 million settlement. When Francis was passed over for a salary raise as part of her new contract negotiation in November 2019, she brought up the data she had compiled. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. They called out of the blue called Kevin and let him know that I my on-air services were no longer needed, Francis said. Earlier this year, the New York City Commission on Human Rights fined Fox News $1 million for violations of laws protecting against sexual harassment and job retaliation. As her viewers can attest, Francis co-hosted Outnumbered on Fox News and After the Bell on Fox Business until suddenly disappearing from both channels in October 2020. Last October, Francis was pulled off both her regular co-hosting slot on midday roundtable show Outnumbered and her own mid-afternoon Fox Business Network program. Francis, a former TV child star who had been with Fox for eight years, had reportedly been working without a contract for roughly a year. Melissa Francis has been off the air at Fox News and Fox Business since Oct. 7, and it is unclear when or even if the Outnumbered co-host will return to either network. A clear pattern emerged showing male anchors were making more than women in similar roles. 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At the same time, Francis continued to anchor her midafternoon Fox Business program After the Bell. The network did not directly dispute anything in the L.A. Times story. Those claims in my view, 100% led to her being taken off the air without question,he told Kelly. Fox News Says Melissa Francis Isnt Fired but Shes Been Off Air Since Filing Gender-Pay Complaint Her lawyer stated that the abrupt cancellation was 100% due to her pay dispute. 2:19. "Ms. Francis filed a charge with the New York State Department of Labor because Fox News has not changed and continues to discriminate and retaliate against women, including those who seek equal pay for equal work," Kevin Mintzer, Francis' attorney, said. Francis recalled that one day, despite the ratings for her shows being through the roof, her lawyer got a call from Fox letting him know that her time with the network was over. 15 minutes before the 4 p.m. He is also the author of three books about television, including a biography of pioneer talk show host and producer David Susskind. This week, after sources said that Childers I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Our guest, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is beloved and needed to be allowed to speak with the openness and respect that the show was all about, was interrupted, the anchor, Harris Faulkner, said. She was not put back on the air again despite her public campaign on Twitter and her messages to President Trump. Francis explained that the in-home studio Fox had designed for her was operated remotely from their studios, right down to the lighting, cameras, and prompter. I checked in, we talked to the producers, we did the whole thing, she recalled. She also made regular appearances on Fox News. Diana Falzone was an on-camera and digital reporter for FoxNews.com from 2012 to 2018. He paid for it. Fox News paid the former Outnumbered co-host a $15 million settlement after taking her off air. And all of a sudden, everything went dead in my living room, just lights out, everything dead. Francis has long stayed silent about the precise details surrounding her departure. During the broadcast, the former House speaker claimed that the main reason for violence at protests is the George Soros-elected, left-wing, anti-police, pro-criminal district attorneys who refuse to keep people locked up. Melissa interjected, saying, Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. This is the power of #GeorgeSoros, Glenn Beck, the conservative radio host and conspiracy theorist, said in a tweet on Wednesday with nearly 6,000 likes, comments and retweets. So, Francis entered arbitration with the company in August 2020, and an arbiter gave the network a deadline of October 7, 2020, to disclose salary information. Times reported Thursday that Francis, who co-hosts Fox News Outnumbered and joined Fox Business Network in 2012, recently filed a gender-based pay discrimination claim against the company. Currently, Melissa is the co-host of After The Bell weekday afternoons with David Asman. Francis has also filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor alleging that Fox News retaliated for her raising the equitable-pay issue. But on Oct. 7, 2020, she abruptly stopped appearing on either network. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Chris Wallace Wishes He'd Moderated THIS Debate Instead of Messy First One (Video). The Daily Beast has learned this week that New Yorks labor department has an ongoing investigation into Francis complaints about pay disparity and allegations that the network retaliated against her for raising those claims. With the network having recently elevated Suzanne Scott to CEO and prompted other female executives, Francis said Brandi made the following statement to her: Thats how the world works. Diana Falzone was an on-camera and digital reporter for FoxNews.com from 2012 to 2018. Francis climbed the ranks at Fox, initially joining Fox Business as an anchor in 2012, having previously covered business news for CNBC. She and her lawyer, Kevin Mintzer, wouldnt confirm at the time that she had filed a gender-based pay discrimination claim against the network, as the LA Times reported in 2020. Later, Fox News paid Francis around $15 million in a settlement, according to documents the Post reviewed. Francis has been off Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network since Oct. 7. Francis lawyer asked Fox News to disclose the salaries of other Fox News on-air stars, which the company refused. A Fox News spokesperson would not comment on the investigation but acknowledged in a statement that We parted ways with Melissa Francis nearly a year ago.. Melissa Francis disappeared from Foxs air last year amid a dispute over pay discrimination. Its just a fact. (A Fox News spokesperson said that Francis account of that conversation is untrue and patently absurd.), Women are paid less- thats just how the world works she was told. She never appeared on Fox again, and she eventually tendered her resignation on Feb. 2, 2021. Dont say I didnt warn you.. (Brandi continues to represent Fox News in certain contract matters.) Francis had been working at the network without a contract for almost a year when she was pulled from her regular slot co-hosting Outnumbered and a Fox Business Network program in October last year, The Los Angeles Times reported. The spokesperson said the company has undergone a comprehensive overhaul of its entire workplace culture including tripling the size of its HR department, promoting more women in the executive ranks,elevating women in on-air host positions and other initiatives. Over the last six years, Fox News has undergone a comprehensive overhaul of its entire workplace culture including tripling the size of its HR department, promoting more women in the executive ranks, elevating women in on-air host positions, as well as launching multiple mentoring programs and employee resource groups for women, the company said in a statement. Former Fox News host Melissa Francis received a settlement of roughly $15 million from the network after complaining about gender-based pay discrepancies and Francis filed a charge with the New York State Department of Labor because Fox News has not changed and continues to discriminate and retaliate against women, including those who seek equal pay for equal work, Francis attorney, Kevin Mintzer, told The Daily Beast while confirming the probe. Melissa filed her charge with the Department of Labor not for herself but for the women of the company who are still there, Mintzer told HuffPost. Stephen Battaglio writes about television and the media business for the Los Angeles Times out of New York. In May 2017, she filed a gender discrimination and disability lawsuit against the network and settled, and left the company in March 2018. she was abruptly pulled off of both shows. To this day, Francis says, she has no idea who was responsible for it. The Times reported that Francis' complaint specifically said she was underpaid compared to her male colleagues, something the Fox News spokesperson did not comment on, saying the matter was confidential. Even after adjusting for other variables like who had been working the longest, who was hosting Fox News shows solo, and who was hosting in primetime Francis found that men were being paid many times more than women at the network, she said. Francis had filed a separate complaint with the New York State Labor Department last year, arguing the conservative outlet retaliated against her after she brought up evidence of male hosts being paid more than their female counterparts, according to the Daily Beast. The former host said she did not get a significant salary increase when she became a permanent co-host on Outnumbered, claiming she was paid less than $1 million, which she suspected was less than other hosts were making at the network. Because of the complaint internal complaint that she made and what she did to pursue that without question.. She continued, saying, He got a call and he said that my services were no longer needed on the air and I said, Well, they cant mean the show in 10 minutes because we all know you cant get an anchor in the chair that quickly. You know, Im gonna just go over and sit in my living room for my second show. Francis specifically complained that she was underpaid compared to her male colleagues, the Times further reportedsomething Fox News would not comment on at the time, citing confidentiality. Were not able to talk about that, Mintzer replied. Mintzer confirmed the investigation was ongoing, adding: "We are pleased the Department is conducting an appropriate investigation in response to her charge. Melissa Francis was pulled off the air in Oct. 2020 amid a dispute about pay disparity between men and women at Fox, and later filed a complaint with the Department of Labor. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, At 19, he won a local school board seat. Melissa Francis, who quietly disappeared from Fox News in October 2020, received a $15-million settlement after she filed a gender-based, pay-disparity claim against the network. The Times reported Francis unexplained departure on Oct. 22, 2020, at which time Fox News said she remained an employee at the company. Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. The penalty, the largest in the commission's history, stemmed from an investigation that began after network chief Roger Ailes, now deceased, was ousted following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Fox News has paid former host Melissa Francis a reported $15 million settlement after she complained about a gender pay gap at the network.. Women make less. Multiple lawsuits against the network alleged that Scott helped enable former Fox News chief Roger Ailes culture of harassment. A spokesperson for Fox News issued the following statement on the issue at the time. Kelly, a former Fox News anchor, shared her experience with the network, saying, And I actually know for a fact that I was making more than most of my male colleagues, and that my last contract that was offered to me was definitely bigger even than OReillys. Mediaite reported in 2017 Fox offered Kelly $25 million a year for four years. The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production and what it all means for the future. Former Fox News host Melissa Francis received a settlement of roughly $15 million from the network after complaining about gender-based pay discrepancies and discrimination at the conservative cable giant. Fox News paid anchor Gretchen Carlson $20 million to settle her sexual discrimination lawsuit against the company in 2016. In 2017, Bill OReilly, the networks biggest star at the time, personally paid $32 million to a contributor on his show who accused him of coercing her into a sexual relationship. And I think, the results of that will, will speak for themselves, eventually, Mintzer said. according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post, Student with 2 published books, 4.2 GPA and 1560 SAT score rejected by Harvard, MIT, Yale and Princeton, Georgia teen 'was not tortured' during the house party that left him on a ventilator, DA says, adding that the teen 'voluntarily' drank until he blacked out, 3 Senate Republicans vow to block Feinstein's Judiciary replacement. Melissa Ryan, chief executive of Card Strategies, a consulting firm that researches disinformation, said right-wing media, influencers and even elected officials frequently invoked Mr. Soross name. Former Fox News and Fox Business Network commentator Melissa Francis learned she had been fired in October 2020 after reading youve been canceled on her Teleprompter moments before her show was to go live, she told Megyn Kelly on Friday. The New York State Department of Labor is reportedly investigating Fox News over complaints of gender discrimination and retaliation made by former host Melissa Francis. She determined that men were paid more than their female counterparts in similar roles on the network. Her at-home studio, she explained, was controlled remotely by Fox, so she was startled when the Teleprompter delivered the message, Youve been canceled, instead of her script. Since she hosted a show on both Fox News and Fox Business and was a co-host of one of the most highly-rated shows on the network, she considered it reasonable to request a pay increase. Age discrimination, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rainn Wilson, Landmark Fox News defamation trial is delayed until Tuesday, Fox News and Dominion head to trial in a potentially historic $1.6-billion defamation case, Regal to reopen Pasadenas former ArcLight theater, MoNique sues CBS, Paramount for millions in profits from The Parkers. According to Francis, she agreed to wait until the next contract negotiation in 2019. Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election, a network spokesperson said last year. The employee rights attorney, who confirmed Francis no longer works for Fox, added: We are pleased that the Department is conducting an appropriate investigation in response to her charge. A post shared by Melissa Francis (@melissaafrancis). I was going to say you get the last word, Speaker, Faulker said. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Fox News Says Melissa Francis Isnt Fired but Shes Been Off Air Since Filing Gender-Pay Complaint Her lawyer stated that the abrupt cancellation was 100% due to TheWrap could find no evidence that any legal case was filed outside of Fox News. I talked to the show staff afterward and they were like, We had we werent told anything. 1 post among public Facebook pages on Friday morning was an article about Mr. Soros published by the far-right website Breitbart. Black Teenager Shot in Kansas City, Missouri. The revelation about Francis settlement amount comes just months after The Daily Beast first reported that she had filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor, claiming that Fox News retaliated against her for pointing out the pay disparity. At the time, Fox News did not publicly comment on her status, instead framing the changes as an example of the network going about its normal business. A Fox News representative would not confirm the payment while noting the company is disputing the complaint Francis filed with the state. Melissa Francis has been off the air at Fox News and Fox Business since Oct. 7, and it is unclear when or even if the Outnumbered co-host will return to either She also recounted a conversation she had with former Fox News executive vice president for legal and business affairs Dianne Brandi in Nov. 2019. In the last tweet she posted, she predicted Trump will win. Its just a fact. Fox News, in a statement to The Daily Beast, disputed that exchange. The fine grouped four separate "willful and wanton" violations that each carried a maximum penalty of $250,000. We have no idea what happened. And they were left scrambling. Facebook; Twitter; Email; FOX News Radio. We parted ways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegations were entirely without merit. A former child star as an actress, Melissa, as an adult, is now well known for her career as a television news anchor, journalist and commentator for the Fox Business Network (FBN) and Fox Women make less. Fox claimed that her sudden disappearance from the airwaves was due to program changes related to the election, but her camp reportedly thought otherwise. She reveals that both Brandi and the HR department at Fox failed to address the issues regarding the pay gap. . Theyre looking specifically, Megyn, at the retaliation aspects of this because the based on what we described, it was so outrageous and so clear that it warrants government looking at it, which they are. Thats how the world works, Brandi responded, according to Francis. Francis did not appear on the channel again. After being told another pregnancy might kill her, Melissa and Wray made the decision to have another child, their daughter, Gemma, via surrogacy. She sued and won. Five years later, Francis was hired by Fox News to co-host Outnumbered and continued to co-anchor a show on Fox Business. May 26, 2015. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. In November 2017, Fox gave Francis a promotion, making her a permanent co-host of Outnumbered. Francis stated that after the network denied her lawyers request to disclose the salaries of her colleagues, she entered into arbitration with Fox in August 2020. In an interview with the Post, Francis said her concerns that men were paid far more than women at Fox News were dismissed when presented to Dianne Brandi, a former top executive at the network who allegedly said, Women make less. ' Francis recalled. For years, he has been cast as an anticonservative villain by a loose network of activists and political figures on the right. Francis, 49, a former child actress and Harvard University graduate who had covered financial news for CNBC, was first hired by Fox in 2012 as an anchor for Fox Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Thats how the world works. At the time, she was a co-host of one of Foxs biggest daytime shows, Outnumbered, and had been negotiating for a raise to match the salaries of her male counterparts. Fox News has also cited its recent recognition as a Great Place to Work-Certified company as proof of the many cultural changes Scott has implemented during her tenure. Im not advocating, Im telling you to mentally prepare. So did everything wrap up amicably where then somebody called you and said, Weve seen the light, and heres a huge raise to make things better,' Kelly asked. Find out why. While the network says that Francis allegations are entirely without merit, one lawyer not connected to the ex-hosts case told The Washington Post that a settlement this large indicates there was probably pretty convincing evidence of an obvious and gross disparity in pay.. And it comes up in the prompter, Youve been canceled and I said, What whats going on? ), Besides requiring Fox News to remove confidential arbitration clauses from the contracts of on-air talent amid outside legal claims, the media empires settlement agreement also demands immediate changes to policies surrounding reporting sexual harassment, retaliation, training, and compliance.. Its just a fact, Francis recounted Fox News executive Dianne Brandi telling her. This is, thisis how were doing this. So, while she waited for her next contract negotiation in 2019, she collected data on what Fox News paid other people. Television journalist and commentator Melissa Francis at Fox Studios on March 18, 2015, in New York City. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. In October 2020, however, she was abruptly pulled off of both shows amid her pay dispute with the network. But in November 2020, she handed in her resignation. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter., Also Read: Chris Wallace Wishes He'd Moderated THIS Debate Instead of Messy First One (Video). Im about to go. According to the Times, Francis complaint centers on her claim that she is underpaid compared to male colleagues at the network. Women make less. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The financial settlement, first reported Sunday by the Washington Post, came after Francis attempted to gather data on what other on-air employees earned at Fox News. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Francis, 49, was a regular fixture on Fox News where she was a panelist on the daytime chat show Outnumbered and Fox Business Network from 2012-20. The revelation about Francis settlement amount comes just months after The Daily Beast first reported that she had filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor, claiming that Fox News retaliated against her for pointing out the pay disparity. (Signature Real Estate Group) "Tanked" star Brett Raymer lists home on Lone Mountain Drive for $3.2 . Melissa Francis, who quietly disappeared from Fox News in October 2020, received a $15-million settlement after she filed a gender-based, pay-disparity claim against the network. We welcome a robust debate about the criminal justice system, the root causes of crime.. Melissa filed her charge with the Department of Labor not for herself but for the women of the company who are still there, Mintzer told The Daily Beast. An arbitrator asked Fox News for the salary information, setting an Oct. 7 deadline which turned out to be Francis last day on the air. The company paid out settlements to other female employees who filed complaints. Melissa Francis has been off the air at Fox News and Fox Business since Oct. 7, and it is unclear when or even if the Outnumbered co-host will return to either network. The Post said she resigned Feb. 2, 2021. The LA. (Photo: Robin Marchant via Getty Images). She is a commentator for the Fox Business Network (FBN) and Fox News (FNC). By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Kelly shifted the conversation back to Francis to discuss what happened next. And I was like, Wow, OK. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter. All Rights Reserved. Francis joined Fox Business in 2012 and has been a regular on Outnumbered, its popular daytime show, since 2014. Her most recent tweet, from Oct. 18, said, Trump will win. During this time, she claimed she kept a spreadsheet comparing the salaries of others at Fox, based on her conversations with colleagues and agents. Web1. We have no idea what happened. And they wereleft scrambling. Francis confessed that she and Fox hadnt wrapped things up amicably, explaining to Kelly the sordid details: While preparing to do her 4 p.m. show on what ended up being her final day, Francis was notified by Mintzer that the network was letting her go. Melissa Francis, a regular on the Fox News talk show Outnumbered and co-anchor of Fox Business After the Bell, has not been on the network since October 7 and her future is uncertain. Perhaps no figure gets more attention in conspiracy circles than George Soros, the billionaire investor and Democratic donor. Mintzer, the NYS Department of Labor and Fox News have been contacted for additional comment. Contrary to Fox News false claims about a new era, what happened to Melissa shows that sexism and retaliation are still prevalent at the network. We parted ways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegations were entirely without merit, a Fox News spokesperson told HuffPost. Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election, Fox News said in a statement. the New York City Commission on Human Rights fined Fox News $1 million, It's Not the Role of Government to Protect Us From Apps, Don't Put Tiktok Out of Business Based on Hypotheticals, Biden Admin Uses Trump's Own Words to Blast McCarthy's Wall St. "Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election," the spokesperson told The Times in October 2020. The 6,000-gallon koi pond in Brett Raymer's backyard was featured on an episode of "Tanked." In an interview with The Washington Post, Francis said that when she was first offered the promotion to Outnumbered in 2017, she was given a negligible increase in compensation, which was below $1 million a year and below what similar hosts were making. Thats done from the studio. They released a statement citing ongoing changes for the daytime lineup: Fox News Media regularly considers programming changes, including to its daytime lineup, and will launch new formats as appropriate after the election. Television journalist Melissa Francis at FOX Studios on March 18, 2015 in New York City. Under the leadership of CEO Suzanne Scott, the network has implemented annual, mandatory in-person harassment prevention training, created an entirely new reporting structure, more than tripled the size of our HR footprint, started quarterly company meetings and mentoring events, as well as implemented a zero-tolerance policy regarding workplace misconduct for which we engage outside independent firms to handle investigations.. Diagnosed with a hereditary condition known as Factor V Leiden, Melissa nearly died each time she gave birth to her two sons, Thompson and Greyson. We continue to cooperate with the Department of Labor, and we look forward to receiving the findings of their investigation.. A Fox News spokesperson at the time attributed it to the company revamping its daytime programming. Japan Has Millions of Empty Houses. Melissa Francis (Melissa Ann) Francis is an American actress, anchor and host. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter. A network spokesperson declined to comment beyond the statement. Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this, said co-host Melissa Francis. But to her shock, her discussions fell on deaf ears. And then if they want me not ontomorrow, whatever it is,thats fine, she told Kelly. Francis, a former child star who played Cassandra Cooper Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, also filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor,