EEOC Finds Racial Bias at Freddie Mac

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has found widespread racial discrimination against black employees at the federal mortgage company Freddie Mac. The EEOC complaint grew out of a $15-million race discrimination lawsuit brought by Tony Morgan, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.’s former director of executive corporate relations. He contends supervisors created a “hostile work environment” that subjected black employees to threats and racial slurs. A Freddie Mac spokeswoman denied the EEOC allegations and said the company has taken corrective action in the few racial incidents that have occurred. The EEOC findings were disclosed in an Aug. 14 letter from EEOC Director Tulio L. Diaz Jr. The letter was released by an attorney for Morgan, who is black. The EEOC found that racial jokes were and continue to be sent through the company’s e-mail system, racial epithets continue to be written on walls, and black employees who complain of discrimination are subject to hate messages. Freddie Mac was also accused of failing to promote black employees and withholding bonuses and promotions.