Microsoft sued for gender discrimination

Microsoft is the latest tech firm to be accused of gender discrimination.

The company has been hit with a class action lawsuit in federal court in the state of Washington on Wednesday. A former employee, Katie Moussouris, accuses the company unfairly discriminated against her and other female employees because of their sex. Moussouris was hired as director of Microsoft security program in 2007. The lawsuit alleges that he was passed over for more than a promotion, while their male colleagues who were less qualified, have been promoted.

The company based on sexist policies violate Title VII and the Washington Law Against Discrimination, according to demand. The suit cites especially unfair to women "stack ranking". Microsoft uses this numerical classification system until 2014 to evaluate, compensate and promote employees. According to the lawsuit, the techniques normally workers received lower scores than their male peers.

"It is an artificial system that requires winners and losers," said Kelly Dermody, lawyer Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, one of the two companies representing Moussouris. "There is no need to do so on the basis of the results." Moreover, internal complaints made by a superior Moussouris sexually harass colleagues. Although Microsoft has found the charges have merit, he simply moved. Moussouris argues that retaliated against her by giving her a low bonus and reduce their responsibilities.

Moussouris is a visiting professor at the MIT Sloan School of Business and New America Foundation Fellow. He left Microsoft (MSFT, tech30) in May 2014, after working for the company for seven years. Now is director of policy for HackerOne, a security startup. Microsoft workforce is 76% male. The lack of diversity is even more pronounced at the executive level, which is 88% male.

In a statement, Microsoft said it was "committed to a diverse workforce." "We have already reviewed the applicant's arguments on their expertise and not find anything to substantiate these claims, and we will review carefully this new complaint."

Microsoft is not the first technology company to its internal policies in question. A Twitter (tWTR, tech30) lawsuit filed earlier this year, also claims that the company has promotional practices that prevent women from moving up the corporate ladder.