‘Woke capitalism’: Microsoft admits it pays white workers less than minorities

Microsoft has come under scrutiny for highlighting in its latest diversity report that it compensates its white employees less than its racial minority counterparts in comparable positions. The report draws attention to the fact that Asian staff members receive higher compensation than both Black and White employees, holding similar job titles, levels, and experience.

In its 2023 Diversity and Inclusion Report, Microsoft champions its commitment to “pay equity,” revealing that racial minorities eligible for rewards receive $1.007 in total compensation for every dollar that white employees earn in the same roles. The report details that Black and African American employees are paid $1.004, while Asian employees receive $1.012 for each dollar earned by their white colleagues with equivalent job titles, levels, and experience.

The document explains that the figures reflect total compensation, encompassing base salary, annual bonuses, and stock awards. Additionally, the report highlights Microsoft’s efforts to embed progressive ideologies within its workforce, with 96.4 percent of employees acknowledging some level of understanding of “allyship.”

This approach to compensation aligns with a broader trend among major corporations to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives over the principle of equality. A notable example includes Disney, which faced a federal civil rights complaint accusing the company of basing employee bonuses on diversity metrics. The complaint charges Disney with intentional discrimination against white American men, Christians, and Jews based on their race, sex, and religion.

The complaint was lodged by America First Legal, as reported by Breitbart News. The organization, led by Stephen Miller, a former official in the Trump administration, criticized Disney’s shift from its historically family-friendly image to one promoting “divisive bigotry.” Miller called for Disney to halt these practices immediately.

Breitbart News pledges to continue its coverage of the impact of DEI initiatives and the broader implications of what it terms “woke capitalism.”