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Gretchen Carlson.
"I have strived to empower women and girls throughout my entire career," Carlson, 50, said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Although this was a difficult step to take, I had to stand up for myself and speak out for all women and the next generation of women in the workplace. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments at Fox News and for keeping our loyal viewers engaged and informed on events and news topics of the day."
According to a court filing with the Superior Court of New Jersey obtained by Business Insider, Carlson claims her firing was a result of retaliation for refusing to have sex with the CEO and for reporting disparaging treatment in the newsroom.
"We believe that the evidence will confirm that Gretchen was fired from 'Fox & Friends' for speaking up about demeaning and discriminatory behavior on and off the set," Carlson's attorney Nancy Erika Smith of Smith Mullin P.C. in Montclair, New Jersey, said in a statement.
The complaint alleges that Carlson was fired on June 23 without warning, despite the ratings success of "The Real Story" in its time-slot.
The court document also states that the behavior by Ailes, 76, toward Carlson included lewd innuendo, ogling, and remarks about Ms. Carlson's body, as well as demands for sex as a way for her to improve her job standing.
It also stated that she was fired from "Fox and Friends" after complaining of sexist behavior by her cohost Steve Doocy and that her move to the 2 p.m. time-slot with "The Real Story" was intended to give her a lower profile on the channel.
FNC didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.