Microsoft is being investigated by the US Labor Department to ensure it does not unlawfully discriminate when hiring new senior personnel.

As detailed in a blog post, the big M was contacted by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) with regards to a number of promises the company made back in June as it announced its commitment to improving company diversity.

More specifically, the OFFCP honed in on Microsoft's intentions to double the number of Black and African senior staff members over the next few years. It claimed that the tech giant's internal diversity and inclusion programmes "appears to imply that employment action may be taken on the basis of race."

However, Microsoft corporate vice president and general counsel Dev Stahlkopf has insisted that this is not the case.

No discrimination

"We are clear that the law prohibits us from discriminating on the basis of race. We also have affirmative obligations as a company that serves the federal government to continue to increase the diversity of our workforce, and we take those obligations very seriously," said Microsoft corporate vice president and general counsel Dev Stahlkopf.

"We have decades of experience and know full well how to appropriately create opportunities for people without taking away opportunities from others. Furthermore, we know that we need to focus on creating more opportunity, including through specific programs designed to cast a wide net for talent for whom we can provide careers with Microsoft.

"One thing remains true of all our programs. We hire and promote the most qualified person. And nothing we announced in June changes that. Instead, our continued focus is to work hard to consider and develop the broadest range of qualified candidates for opportunities."