SEATTLE (AP) – In an e-mail to employees Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer said the software company will publicly support gay rights legislation in the future.

The e-mail, posted on a Microsoft employee’s Web log, came two weeks after gay rights activists accused the company of withdrawing its support for an antidiscrimination bill in its home state after an evangelical pastor’s threat to launch a national boycott.

“After looking at the question from all sides, I’ve concluded that diversity in the workplace is such an important issue for our business that it should be included in our legislative agenda,” Ballmer wrote.

Company spokesperson Tami Begasse confirmed the e-mail posted on a blog called “Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger” was written by Ballmer.

Ballmer said he would not get into what prompted Microsoft to take a neutral stance on a bill it had supported in the past.

Late last month, Ballmer said the company had decided to focus on a shorter list of legislative priorities that had a more direct impact on the company’s software business well before executives met with the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of a Redmond church who has organized rallies against same-sex marriage in Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Hutcherson said he pressured Microsoft after hearing two employees testify in favor of a bill in the Washington Legislature that would have banned discrimination against gays and lesbians in housing, employment and insurance.

House Bill 1515 died by a single vote in the state Senate in late April.

Bloggers cried foul, calling the company a corporate coward, and a prominent gay rights group asked the company to return a civil rights award it had bestowed on Microsoft four years ago.

In his e-mail, Ballmer said the company will continue to focus its lobbying efforts on issues that most directly affect Microsoft, such as Internet safety, intellectual property rights, free trade, a healthy business climate – and gay rights, too.

“I’m proud of Microsoft’s commitment to non-discrimination in our internal policies and benefits, but our policies can’t cover the range of housing, education, financial and similar services that our people and their partners and families need. Therefore, it’s appropriate for the company to support legislation that will promote and protect diversity in the workplace.”