U.S. Department of Labor issued the following announcement on Sept. 18.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Microsoft Corp. U.S. have entered into an early resolution conciliation agreement (ERCA) to resolve alleged hiring discrimination practices at its facilities in Irving, Texas; Redmond, Washington; New York, New York; and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
During routine compliance evaluations, OFCCP found hiring disparities against Asian applicants from Dec. 5, 2015, through May 31, 2017, for Premier Field Engineer positions; from Dec. 1, 2014, through May 31, 2016, for the Solution Specialists positions; and from Dec. 1, 2017, through Nov. 30, 2018, for Developer II positions. OFCCP also found hiring disparities against African American and Hispanic applicants for Software Engineering positions from Dec. 1, 2012, through May 14, 2014. The agency alleged that the federal contractor’s actions at those locations violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
Under the agreement, Microsoft will pay $3 million in back pay and interest to 1,229 affected applicants. While not admitting liability in the investigation, Microsoft agreed to an ERCA and to enhance future compliance proactively.
“This resolution will further the goal of equal employment opportunity by Microsoft partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Melissa Speer, in Dallas, Texas. “The Department is committed to resolving issues by working with proactive employers.”
“The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ Early Resolution Procedures are designed to enable federal contractors and the Department to work together to address and resolve issues of non-compliance efficiently,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Craig E. Leen.
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