Employees, no matter how long they have been working in a workplace, are afforded certain rights. These rights protect a wide variety of employee rights, and if an employer does not uphold these rights, an employee can take certain steps. One circumstance this can occur is if an employee is experiencing sexual harassment.
According to recent reports, Bill O’Reilly, a TV host on the Fox News channel, is being investigated for accumulating allegations of sexual harassment. Investigation was sparked as a response to a complaint lodged by Wendy Walsh. Walsh was a regular guest on The O’Reilly Factor show.
Fox News parent 21st Century Fox is currently investigating all complaints, and they are treating this like a very serious matter. In a recent interview, Walsh stated that O’Reilly said that he would recommend her for a paid contributor role on the network; however, after O’Reilly had dinner with Walsh and refused his invitation to go back to his hotel room, he dropped her from his show.
It was soon revealed that five women have been paid $13 million to settle allegations of sexual harassment and other inappropriate or sexual conduct by O’Reilly. While O’Reilly denied these allegations, claiming that he is vulnerable to lawsuits, the investigations remain open. Additionally, Walsh stated that she is not bound by a gag order or an agreement and the statute of limitations has run out, so she can no longer sue him.
Due to these allegations, dozens of brands pulled their ads from The O’Reilly Factor in order to protect their reputation. And because the sexual harassment scandal continued to grow, Fox News took the step to out Bill O’Reilly, providing him with a $25 million payout.
Sexual harassment charges are serious allegations. Employees experiencing such a situation might endure unwanted sexual advances, sexual discrimination and a hostile work environment. This can be an very stressful and unpleasant experience; however, employees have rights. A claim could be assert, helping the victim punish the harasser and collect compensation for damages suffered.
Source: Nydailynews.com, “21st Century Fox investigating O’Reilly harassment claims,” April 10, 2017
