|
 Diana Falzone, 34, said in the lawsuit in New York state
court that despite writing many popular articles for Fox News'
website and routinely being praised for on-air appearances, she
was abruptly sidelined in January, three days after the article
about her struggle with endometriosis was published.
Falzone said Fox, a unit of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc,
discriminated against her on the basis of sex and disability in
violation of New York City law.
The network did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
Fox News has faced mounting legal claims that it ignored
employees' complaints of sexual harassment and gender and race
discrimination.
Bill O'Reilly, the network's most popular anchor, and former Fox
News chief Roger Ailes both have been ousted over harassment
claims by several women, which they deny.
In Monday's lawsuit, Falzone said she was not given a reason for
being taken off the air. She said she complained internally
using an employee hotline, but did not bring her concerns to
network executives because they had, for years, been "complicit
in covering up and enabling a hostile and harassing environment
for women at Fox News."
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“Once Diana disclosed her condition, Fox executives decided she no
longer conformed to their image of on-air women as ‘physically
perfect,’” Nancy Smith, Falzone's attorney, said in a statement.
Smith and Martin Hyman filed a sexual harassment lawsuit last year
against Ailes on behalf of former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson.
The lawsuit, which was settled for $20 million, led to Ailes'
resignation after two decades as one of the most influential
executives in cable television.
Last week, Fox News anchor Kelly Wright, who is black, and several
other non-white employees filed a lawsuit seeking class action
status, claiming they were mocked and humiliated because of their
race and paid less than white coworkers. Fox has denied the claims.
Fox News announced on Monday that Bill Shine, co-president of the
network since August, has resigned. A Fox News contributor sued
Shine last month, accusing the executive of failing to investigate
her claims of sexual harassment.
(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by
Jonathan Oatis and Dan Grebler)
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