As part of its probe into sexual harassment claims made against Fox News, New York City's Commission on Human Rights fined the network $1 million on Tuesday.
The fine is the highest ordered in the commission's history, USA Today reports, and the first settlement against a major news network. The investigation began after several Fox News personalities — including former chief Roger Ailes and former anchors Bill O'Reilly and Ed Henry — were accused of sexual harassment and retaliation. Ailes died in 2017, one year after former Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson sued him for sexual harassment.
As part of the settlement, Fox must also institute a policy and complaint procedure for the reporting of harassment and discrimination; provide harassment and bystander training that is approved by the human rights commission; and for four years, stop requiring mandatory arbitration over human rights claims made in New York. Mandatory arbitration, the commission said, is a "widely criticized practice that is often the most significant barrier to determining whether a workplace has a pervasive culture of sexual harassment and prevents victims from seeking relief" in court.
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In a statement, Fox News Media said it is "pleased to reach an amicable resolution of this legacy matter" and "has already been in full compliance across the board, but cooperated with the New York City Commission on Human Rights to continue enacting extensive preventative measures against all forms of discrimination and harassment."
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