FDIC Hires Independent Firm to Investigate Alleged Harassment and Discrimination at Regulator

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has hired an independent firm to conduct a “top-to-bottom assessment” of alleged harassment and discrimination at the banking regulator, its chairman told staff Monday, hours after The Wall Street Journal published an investigation that found a longtime toxic atmosphere prompted women to quit the agency.

In a three-minute video to staff reviewed by the Journal, Chairman Martin Gruenberg said the article “raises some serious allegations about the FDIC workplace” and said the firm would contact employees to solicit their confidential input. He didn’t specify which firm the agency had hired.