How Can You Not Respect Bill Gates?
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BlvdBrawler
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2manyFCKNrappers
mentally i measure kilos
Mr Uncle Leroy
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Just because the case was dismissed does not mean the allegation were not true.
Software giant Microsoft Corp. has been hit with a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of current and former black employees, alleging a wide variety of employment discrimination practices at the Redmond, WA-based company.
The suit, which includes seven named current and former employees of Microsoft, was filed in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia January 3 and seeks $5 billion in damages. The suit seeks to include all black African Americans employed by Microsoft since April 27, 1992.
Among the suit's allegations are that Microsoft discriminated against blacks when engaging in performance evaluations, awarding compensation and promotions, and when terminating employees. The suit also alleges that black employees were victims of retaliation by Microsoft after complaining about their treatment.
"Microsoft has discriminated against African American employees who made valuable contributions to the company, but were not treated with the same dignity, respect and compensation as their white counterparts," Willie Gary, a Florida-based attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the employees, said in a prepared statement. "There are glass ceilings and glass walls in place for African Americans at Microsoft. We are stunned and disappointed in their treatment of black employees."
Gary cited Microsoft's black employment figures as evidence that the company does little to hire or retain African Americans. In 1999, for example, Microsoft employed 21,429 people, of which 2.6 percent or 553 were black. Of the firm's 5,155 managers, 1.6 percent or 83 were black.
"These numbers demonstrate to the world that Microsoft is not interested in hiring or promoting blacks," Gary said.
Specifically, the suit alleges a "pattern and practice of race and color discrimination" by Microsoft that includes:
Blacks receiving lower scores than whites in performance evaluations because of the undue discretion given to managers to evaluate employees;
Dramatic differences in pay for blacks and whites;
Promotion policies that were not applied uniformly or fairly, resulting in discrimination against blacks;
A corporate wide practice, in which blacks were voluntarily terminated, suffered retaliation or placed in situations of intolerable discrimination, which forced them to resign at a higher rate than white employees.
Microsoft denied that it discriminates against minorities. "Microsoft has a zero tolerance policy toward discrimination in the workplace," Deborah Willingham, vice president, human resources for Microsoft, said in a statement. "We take any allegations of discrimination very seriously and immediately investigate any concern that is raised.
Employees sue Microsoft for employment discrimination
Rather a multi billionaire be philanthropic and also make major business deals in emerging countries (maybe via some corporate social responsibility) than solely focus on just health issues. Its ironic that a wealthy business person is focusing on solving health issues in emerging countries, maybe altruistic but they are not scientist or researcher, but a wealthy business person, who sees some parts of Africa, as ploys to give back, but true empowerment comes when Africans choose to partner/create their own solutions.