Dive Brief:
- A lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington on Wednesday claims Microsoft discriminates against female employees in technical and engineering jobs, reports the Wall Street Journal.
- The lawsuit accuses Microsoft of paying women lower wages and promoting them less than their male peers.
- Twitter was the focus of a similar lawsuit earlier this year.
Dive Insight:
The lawsuit seeks back pay and monetary damages for the former employee and a class defined as “all-female technical employees employed by Microsoft in the U.S. from Sept 16, 2009, to the present.”
“We’re committed to a diverse workforce, and to a workplace where all employees have the chance to succeed,” a Microsoft spokesman said.
Alleged unfair employment practices in the tech industry has become a hot button issue in recent months, as workforce composition disclosures by tech companies have shown low percentages of women in technical roles. Microsoft's workforce is 76% male.
