‘Heroic Work’: Six Years After Taking Down Roger Ailes, Gretchen Carlson Celebrates One of the ‘Largest Workplace Reforms in Decades’
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Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, whose sexual harassment lawsuit brought down Roger Ailes the then-chief of the network in 2016, celebrated another victory on Thursday – the passage of legislation that prohibits employers from using forced arbitration clauses.
The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent days after it overwhelming passed the House. The law will effectively make it illegal for employers to shield cases like sexual harassment from the public eye.
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act allows employees to choose to take their sexual misconduct complaints to court as opposed to the common practice of companies, through employment contracts, forcing private, often confidential, proceedings to resolve claims.
CNN’s Jessica Dean hailed the law as “one of the largest workplace reforms in decades.” Carlson spoke at the U.S. Capitol after the Senate passed the bill as she was instrumental in rallying support for the law.
“A dear friend of mine said to me back then, ‘You know, Gretchen, something good is going to come out of this.’ I didn’t really see it that way at the time, but it turns out that she was right. A lot of good has come from my decision to come forward and speak for the millions of others who couldn’t,” Carlson said of her fight against Ailes at Fox News.
The legislation “will allow survivors a choice: secret arbitration or the public courts. And I believe this bill will have a dual effect,” she continued.
“It’s going to help companies get on the right side of history, that’s for sure. But it will also stop the bad behavior because now the bad actors will know that women’s voices will be heard when they speak up about what’s really happening at work,” concluded Carlson, who eventually settled with Fox for a reported $20 million and an apology from the network.
Many across the media world were quick to congratulate Carlson on a hard-won victory:
This is absolutely fantastic. Congratulations @GretchenCarlson. Heroic work. https://t.co/Cxt0y9YllB
— David French (@DavidAFrench) February 10, 2022
Gretchen Carlson learned the clause forcing arbitration was in her contract when suing Ailes 5 years ago. She pursued litigation against Ailes personally and won a settlement, but has been part of the effort to press Congress to change the law. https://t.co/iMH6oOoYdz
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) February 10, 2022
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson joins a bipartisan group of senators to celebrate the bill’s passage. “Now the bad actors will know women’s voices will be heard when they speak up,” Carlson says. pic.twitter.com/tIDNM73jIt
— Jessica Dean (@jessicadean) February 10, 2022
Thank you @GretchenCarlson for your tireless advocacy to end sexual misconduct forced arbitration. This will be remembered in the history books as a bright spot in the Me Too movement. https://t.co/3AX16JDdfs
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) February 10, 2022
5 years ago, @GretchenCarlson spoke out and ended the career of an abusive media tycoon. Since then, she has fought to end sexual misconduct forced arbitration. Today, her bill passed in the Senate and is on its ways to Biden’s desk. A historic day! Proud of you, Gretchen. pic.twitter.com/rzUEJOWWmb
— Nick Laparra (@NickLaparra) February 10, 2022
Major legislation that ends the use of forced arbitration clauses for sexual harassment and assault claims is heading to the president’s desk.
Gretchen Carlson, who advocated for the bill, tells @LisaDNews that, aside from her kids, “this will be my greatest life achievement.” pic.twitter.com/QIaReJOOOb
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) February 10, 2022
This bill is five years in the making and spearheaded by Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host who defied her contract and sued Roger Ailes.
She wept as she watched on her computer the Senate pass the measure via voice vote. pic.twitter.com/H9OsosiYNE
— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) February 10, 2022
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Carlson did not break her contract with Fox News. Rather, her contract was not renewed by Fox News in 2016.
