Microsoft Discriminated Against Women In Pay, Promotions: U.s. Lawsuit

[Ron Burgundy]

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday was hit with a proposed class action lawsuit in U.S. court claiming its policy of ranking employees to determine pay and promotions led to discrimination against women. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Seattle, Washington by former technician Katherine Moussouris, who claims she was passed over for promotions given to less-qualified men and was told supervisors did not like her "manner or style." Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft gives employees numerical rankings based on performance evaluations, according to the lawsuit, and routinely gave female workers lower ratings based on subjective criteria. "Microsoft systematically undervalues the efforts and achievements of its female technical employees," said Adam Klein of well-known employment law firm Outten & Golden in New York, one of the firms representing Moussouris.

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