The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Sears, claiming that the company demonstrated racial bias in firing a black employee. According to the lawsuit, Edwin Broadard was dismissed for allegedly violating company ethics policies, while his white counterparts received only warnings for similar infractions. Sears says that they plan to contest the lawsuit.
See "U.S. Sues Sears, Accusing It of Racial Bias", The New York Times, September 2, 2004