News12 Long Island and its parent company, Altice USA, are facing a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by Emmy-award winning investigative reporter Rachel Yonkunas. She claims her employment was terminated due to her vocal stance against unequal treatment relative to her male colleagues.
Yonkunas, who became a part of the local news network in 2022, asserts she was let go in September following her refusal to take a $10,000 pay cut to join the station’s morning broadcast.
Yonkunas, a 35-year-old journalist who won an Emmy in 2016 while at Albany, New York, and received four nominations this year, says she was a victim of systematic discrimination at the station. Court documents reveal that Yonkunas was repeatedly denied resources that were provided without issues to male reporters.
She cited specific instances of alleged bias in the lawsuit. Yonkunas alleges that her stories were often removed from the broadcast schedule an hour before going on air, giving preference to her male colleagues’ content. She also claims that while a male sports anchor consistently received photography support, she was left without such aid for months.
The University of Tampa alumna also says she was deliberately excluded from major stories, including the high-profile Gilgo Beach killings, despite her substantial contributions to the coverage. These assignments, according to the lawsuit, were instead assigned to male reporters.
Yonkunas claims she was placed on a 30-day performance improvement plan after voicing her concerns about these disparities. Despite achieving the goals outlined in the plan, she was then given an ultimatum to accept a lower-paying position. Upon refusing the pay reduction and showing up for work, she was fired.
Her legal counsel, Erik Bashian and Matthew Blit, argue that the actions of the network were a calculated attempt to push her out of her position.
Altice USA has acknowledged the complaint but said they have not yet been served with the lawsuit. News12 categorically denied the allegations, labeling them as “entirely baseless” and stating, “News12 prides itself on providing an inclusive and equitable workplace where employees can thrive based on their skills, contributions, and merit.”
“I investigate stories. The last thing I want to be is the story,” Yonkunas said. “And now I find I have to stand up for what’s happening, to make sure this doesn’t happen to the other female reporters still working there.”
