Capitola Man Suing Microsoft Corporation For Millions - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

CAPITOLA, Calif. -- Mark Birkhead never thought he would be looking through file after file of  court documents. They are titled: The Plaintiff, Mark Birkhead Vs. Microsoft Corporation.
"There's no fairness in the environment," said Birkhead. 

Birkhead was working for Microsoft for a little over a year in 2010, but he said when he proposed a project that was against the status quo, the company began what he called "corporate torture" towards him.

"It's a system of intentionally hurting you mentally. That's what they do. They try to break you down and make you feel like your career is nothing," said Birkhead.

Birkhead said his boss began sending him threatening emails. And he was soon demoted without any reason, and eventually fired.

The first claim was filed in April. In it, Birkhead sues Microsoft for $13.8 million.

However, for Birkhead it's not about the money. He said there's a lot of other employees who have gone through the same thing. Above all, he wants a policy change.

"I should at least be able to work without being harassed, being discriminated against, and without being fired for no reason. Its flat out un-American," said Birkhead. 

Central Coast News reached out to Microsoft's attorney and they declined to comment.

Birkhead knows the case is ambitious, going against the Goliath that is Microsoft. But he said he's lost too much to give up now.

"I'm suing the company for my career, for what I'm never going to get back. I'm suing to have my name restored. I'm suing to have my work validated," said Birkhead. 

At the federal level, a motion to dismiss the case by Microsoft has been denied. The case is now at the state level, and there is motion to dismiss the case scheduled for next month.