Microsoft accused of sexism

MUMBAI, INDIA: Microsoft is in a suit... literally.

Two current female engineers have accused the software major of alleged discriminatory practices in performance reviews, pay and promotions, and dragged the company to court. Microsoft has acknowledged the complaints and said that it would investigate the matter.

Ironically, the action suit comes days after Microsoft appointed high profile former Cisco Systems CTO Padmasree Warrior to its board, and tapped long-time executive Julie Larson-Green to manage the company’s Office applications business.

Matt Day, a technology reporter at Seattle Times, reported that the suit, which is seeking class-action status, accuses the company of discriminatory practices in performance reviews, pay and promotions.

According to the Seattle Times report, Katie Moussouris, a Kirkland resident and former Microsoft employee who worked on cyber security, filed the original suit in Seattle federal court last month. The suit is seeking class-action status.

She has been joined by two current Microsoft employees, according to an amended complaint filed Tuesday. They are Holly Muenchow, an operations program manager who coordinates product releases and has worked at the company since 2002, and Dana Piermarini, who since 2000 has worked with Microsoft’s sales group.

Both women have alleged that male colleagues were promoted at faster rates, in some cases when they were less qualified or demonstrated worse job performance, the complaint said.

Responding to queries by Seattle Times, a Microsoft spokeswoman said the company looked into the claims in the original complaint and didn’t find any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the company. She said the company would review the new allegations.