Ballmer Explains Gay Rights Bill Decision
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has denied allegations that the company acquiesced to pressure from a local religious leader to abandon its support of a Washington State gay rights bill.
In an e-mail to 50,000 employees, Ballmer insisted that a decision to remain neutral was made after much "soul searching" about the role corporations should play in social issues. He added that Microsoft is better suited to advocate its positions only when issues more directly related to its business were being considered by the state.
Portions of the e-mail explaining the position read: "I understand that many employees may disagree with the company's decision to tighten the focus of our agenda for this year's legislative session in Olympia. But I want every employee to understand that the decision to take a neutral stance on this bill was taken before the session began based on a desire to focus our legislative efforts, not in reaction to any outside pressure."
Microsoft has publicly denied that it changed its position after it faced pressure and the possibility of a national boycott originating from local minister Ken Hutcherson. Hunchinson is pastor of the Antioch Bible Church located near the Redmond, Washington based Microsoft campus.
Representatives from Microsoft met with Hutchinson on two occasions in a dialog that company officials say was intended to clarify that two Microsoft employees who testified in favor of the legislation were acting as individuals, not on behalf of the corporation.
Despite Ballmer's measured response, Washington State Rep. Ed Murray portrayed claims that its decision was not influenced by Hutcherson as an "absolute lie." Murray cited a conversation with Microsoft's senior vice president and general counsel Brad Smith, where Smith acknowledged its concerns over Hutcherson and the reaction of its Christian employees.
The Washington State House passed House bill 1515, antidiscrimination legislation for gay and lesbian workers, by a 61-37 vote two months ago. However, the Washington State Senate failed to pass the bill last Thursday by a single vote.
Microsoft has a longstanding policy, instituted in the early 1990's, prohibiting discrimination based upon sexual orientation and has granted same sex domestic partner benefits since those policies were instituted.
"As long as I am CEO, Microsoft is going to be a company that is hard-core about diversity, a company that is absolutely rigorous about having a nondiscriminatory environment, and a company that treats every employee fairly," Ballmer wrote in his e-mail.
In spite of its policies, Microsoft has faced criticism from several gay rights groups and some of its own employees for not taking a firm stance that opposes discrimination at the state level.
The Human Rights Campaign has openly expressed "profound disappointment" over Microsoft's failure to back the bill. According to wire reports, another group, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, asked Microsoft to return an award that it received four years ago for its fair treatment of gays and lesbians.