Microsoft makes vendors offer contract workers benefits

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 5, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Microsoft makes vendors offer contract workers benefits</h1>
                <h2><p>Microsoft has had a stormy relationship with its contract workers, paying out $97 million to settle a lawsuit brought by contractors in the 1990s. But a recent unionization effort prompted the company to think seriously about upgrading working conditions for the tens of thousands of contractors who toil for Microsoft</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://dev.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/article/gallery/microsoft-way-sign.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Microsoft Way sign" loading="lazy" width="300" height="225"></figure><p>Microsoft has had a stormy relationship with its contract workers, paying out $97 million to settle a lawsuit brought by contractors in the 1990s. But a recent unionization effort prompted the company to think seriously about upgrading working conditions for the tens of thousands of contractors who toil for Microsoft vendors on Microsoft projects. The result, according to <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-to-require-vendors-give-contract-workers-benefits/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org"><em>The Seattle Times:</em></a> Microsoft will now require any of its U.S. suppliers (from food to transportation services) that employ more than 50 people to offer employees working on Microsoft projects 15 days of paid leave each year.</p><p>“This kind of step is good for people and good for business,” Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith told <em>The Times</em>. “It seemed to be the single biggest step that we could take that would have the biggest impact.”</p>
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Microsoft has had a stormy relationship with its contract workers, paying out $97 million to settle a lawsuit brought by contractors in the 1990s. But a recent unionization effort prompted the company to think seriously about upgrading working conditions for the tens of thousands of contractors who toil for Microsoft vendors on Microsoft projects. The result, according to The Seattle Times: Microsoft will now require any of its U.S. suppliers (from food to transportation services) that employ more than 50 people to offer employees working on Microsoft projects 15 days of paid leave each year.

“This kind of step is good for people and good for business,” Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith told The Times. “It seemed to be the single biggest step that we could take that would have the biggest impact.”

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,