And I was like, Wow, OK. In June of 2022, it was reported by the Washington Post that Francis received a settlement of $15 million from Fox as a result of the pay gap complaint. Have a tip we should know? But now The Washington Post reports Francis had a pay dispute with the company, which later agreed to a multi-million-dollar payout to settle her claim. The 6,000-gallon koi pond in Brett Raymer's backyard was featured on an episode of "Tanked." Mr. Soros popped up again on Friday, this time with an unusual twist: a claim that Fox News, a channel that regularly airs criticism of Mr. Soros, was working to hide his influence. 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. 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. Five years later, Francis was hired by Fox News to co-host Outnumbered and continued to co-anchor a show on Fox Business. In October 2020, Melissa Francis, a popular host on both Fox News and Fox Business, seemingly disappeared from the airwaves. This week, after sources said that Childers 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. His first civics lesson? 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. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, At 19, he won a local school board seat. Her most recent tweet, from Oct. 18, said, Trump will win. 1 post among public Facebook pages on Friday morning was an article about Mr. Soros published by the far-right website Breitbart. Multiple lawsuits against the network alleged that Scott helped enable former Fox News chief Roger Ailes culture of harassment. 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. In October 2020, however, she was abruptly pulled off of both shows amid her pay dispute with the network. She sued and won. We partedways with Melissa Francis over a year and a half ago and her allegationswere entirely without merit. 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. As a result, the New York Department of Labor announced in December of 2021, that they would pursue an investigation over gender discrimination and retaliation complaints made by Francis. He got a call and he said that my serviceswere no longer needed on the air and I said, Well, they cant mean theshow in 10 minutes because we all know youcant get an anchor in thechair that quickly. You know, Im gonna just go over and sit in myliving room for my second show. 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. According to the Times, Francis complaint centers on her claim that she is underpaid compared to male colleagues at the network. Conspiracies about George Soros at this point are boilerplate for any right-wing conspiracy, she said. Francis said she was met with a blunt assessment. 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But to her shock, her discussions fell on deaf ears. And all of a sudden, everything went dead in my living room, just lights out, everything dead. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. During the interview, she cited Dianne Brandi, a once popular Fox executive, as the leader of her salary negotiations. What happened. Perhaps no figure gets more attention in conspiracy circles than George Soros, the billionaire investor and Democratic donor. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter.. As I pursued this in the meantime, you have to remember it was Covid. So, while she waited for her next contract negotiation in 2019, she collected data on what Fox News paid other people. They built a studio in my home. The New York State Department of Labor is investigating Fox News over gender discrimination and retaliation complaints made by former host Melissa Francis, who The TV personality told Megyn Kelly Friday that her 2020 pink slip appeared instead of a script moments before she was due on air, Melissa Francis at Fox Business Network in 2015 (Getty Images). ", Fox News did not comment on the investigation, but told the outlet that it "parted ways with Melissa Francis nearly a year ago.". This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. A Fox News representative denied that Brandi, who handled many talent contract negotiations during her tenure, ever made such 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. Francis joined Fox Business in 2012 and has been a regular on Outnumbered, its popular daytime show, since 2014. I was doing the noon show and the four oclock show from home, I was on every night. Japan Has Millions of Empty Houses. During contract negotiations in 2020, Francis claimed that she had been trying to increase her salary to be comparable to her male counterparts at the network. The network did not directly dispute anything in the L.A. Times story. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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 McCarthy used his speech in NYC to slam President Joe Biden for doing "nothing" to address the nation's financial crisis. 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 Times reported Francis unexplained departure on Oct. 22, 2020, at which time Fox News said she remained an employee at the company. Kelly asked about this report but Francis lawyer said they were not allowed to comment on the subject. Even adjusting for experience, ratings, and time slots, she said she found that men at the network were paid significantly more than women. On the show, Mr. Gingrich claimed that the main cause of violence at the recent Black Lives Matter protests was the George Soros-elected, left-wing, anti-police, pro-criminal district attorneys who refuse to keep people locked up., Melissa Francis, a Fox News anchor, then said, Im not sure we need to bring George Soros into this.. A clear pattern emerged showing male anchors were making more than women in similar roles. 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. 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. TheWrap could find no evidence that any legal case was filed outside of Fox News. The report of the payment to Francis, who did not respond to a request for comment, is a setback for the companys efforts to improve its workplace image hurt by the revelations that its former chief executive Roger Ailes sexually harassed female employees. Melissa Francis (Melissa Ann) Francis is an American actress, anchor and host. Melissa Francis Before joining FBN, Melissa worked at CNBC. "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. Fox News continues to deny her allegations. In October 2020, Melissa Francis, a popular host on both Fox News and Fox Business, seemingly disappeared from the airwaves. 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, Facebook; Twitter; Email; FOX News Radio. 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. Television journalist Melissa Francis at FOX Studios on March 18, 2015 in New York City. In an interview, Francis described the events that she says led up to her being moved off the air. He is also the author of three books about television, including a biography of pioneer talk show host and producer David Susskind. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Find out why. Francis then revealed her research into the network's pretty staggering gender pay gap, she said. He paid for it. We have also fully cooperated with the New York State Department of Labors investigation and look forward to the completion of this matter.. And I think, the results of that will, will speak for themselves, eventually, Mintzer said. Im not advocating, Im telling you to mentally prepare. Francis is a former child actress who appeared on the later seasons of Little House on the Prairie. . Melissa Francis Biography. Those claims in my view, 100% led to her being taken off the air without question,he told Kelly. At the time, Fox News Media claimed it was business as usual. Wow,' she added. (Photo: Robin Marchant via Getty Images). According to Francis, she agreed to wait until the next contract negotiation in 2019. She also worked as a reporter for CNBC and CNET. Diana Falzone was an on-camera and digital reporter for FoxNews.com from 2012 to 2018. However, Brandi quietly remained with the network in a different capacity. 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. Beyond not appearing on her usual shows within the Fox News Media ecosystem, Francis also hasnt been active on social media in several days. In May 2017, she filed a gender discrimination and disability lawsuit against the network and settled, and left the company in March 2018. reported that Francis was actually locked, the network settled with New York Citys Commission on Human Rights for $1 million. A spokesperson for Fox News issued the following statement on the issue at the time. I mean, all of a suddenthis poor show team had no ideaand they just yanked the electricity on their anchor, Francis said. 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. 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. Outnumbered co-host Melissa Francis, who recently filed a pay discrimination complaint against Fox News, is off the air and her status is in doubt. 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. In November 2019, Dianne Brandi, a former executive vice president for legal and business affairs for Fox News, told Francis that her new contract wouldnt include a pay bump. 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. Women make less. 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. 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. 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.. Web1. 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. Melissa Francis, a longtime business-news reporter who has been with Fox News Media since 2012, has been off the air since early October after approaching the 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. Fox News has since expanded its human resources department and made it easier for employees to file complaints. Two months later, Francis lawyer reached out to the network with a formal request to get information on how much other anchors were making, which the network did not grant. This is, this is how were doing this. (Signature Real Estate Group) "Tanked" star Brett Raymer lists home on Lone Mountain Drive for $3.2 . Former Fox News host Melissa Francis received a settlement of roughly $15 million from the network after complaining about gender-based pay discrepancies and I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. As co-host of one of the networks Brandi took a voluntary leave of absence from running the Legal department at Fox in 2017 following the fallout of sexual harassment allegations made by numerous hosts against Fox founder Roger Ailes. A post shared by Melissa Francis (@melissaafrancis). Fox News paid anchor Gretchen Carlson $20 million to settle her sexual discrimination lawsuit against the company in 2016. 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. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. 2:19. 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, alleging that Fox News retaliated against her after she reported pay disparities in the organization. Email us. Let me just ask you for just for the record. The Post said she resigned Feb. 2, 2021. The arbitrator, according to Francis, set a deadline of Oct. 7 for the network to provide salary information. Want to Buy One for $25,000? Her lawyer stated that the abrupt cancellation was 100% due to her pay dispute. These changes are being made independent of any other ongoing matter. The Daily Beast has learned that New Yorks labor department is probing her claims. Francis then explains that as the producer was in her ear, counting her down to the start of the show, the teleprompter in front of her suddenly changed. A formal complaint was filed by the commission in December 2018. Fox News reportedly agreed to pay former anchor Melissa Francis approximately $15 million to settle a dispute over her claims of a gender pay gap at the network, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. FBN anchor pens powerful memoir. 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 Television journalist and commentator Melissa Francis at Fox Studios on March 18, 2015, in New York City. 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. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. 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. After being told another pregnancy might kill her, Melissa and Wray made the decision to have another child, their daughter, Gemma, via surrogacy. 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 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. News host Melissa Francis has left Fox News, according to a report by TheWrap. The No. Francis lawyer says he firmly believes that her complaint regarding the gender pay gap led to her being removed. Its just a fact.. 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. For FoxNews.com from 2012 to 2018 the post said she was abruptly off... Just go over and sit in my view, 100 % led to her being taken off the without. Once popular Fox executive, as the leader of her salary negotiations continued to co-anchor a show on Fox,! 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