Microsoft Reports Women On Equal Pay With Men

There's essentially no pay-gap for women or people of color who work for Microsoft. The company has released that data in time for National Equal Pay Day, today.

Microsoft research shows women make 99.8 cents per every dollar made by men in the same company role. The ratio for people of color compared to white employees is dollar-for-dollar, on average.

Investment firm Arjuna Capital has pressured Microsoft and eight other companies this year to release data on equal pay.

Natasha Lamb at Arjuna Capital says making wages more transparent is one step in a larger goal to see an equal ratio of men, women and minorities in the tech workforce.

"As investors, we know that gender diverse executive teams, in particular, are more innovative and better performing than homogenous ones," Lamb said. "So we want the companies we are investing in to be encouraging women into positions of leadership."

Lamb says nationally, women make 78-cents to the dollar that men make in the same roles.

The firm filed proposals with 9 companies this year, requesting a report on policies and goals regarding the gender pay gap.

Arjuna Capital is still seeking data on pay equity from Google, Facebook and eBay.

Citing progress, Arjuna has dropped the proposals with Amazon, Apple, Expedia, Intel and now Microsoft.

Seattle based Amazon reports "women earning 99.9 cents for every dollar that men earn in the same jobs, and minorities earning 100.1 cents for every dollar that white employees earn in the same jobs." Amazon had sought permission from the Securities and Exchange Commission to ignore the proposal, but was denied. The company works with organizations like Girls Who Code to encourage more women at the company.

Bellevue based Expedia has not yet released data on pay equity, but committed to do so by October. A company spokesperson said: "As part of this effort, one of our core areas of focus is increasing women in leadership capacities and ensuring pay equity at all levels."

Arjuna Capital is a division of Baldwin Brothers Inc., an investment advisor.