RALEIGH — Mountaire Farms of North Carolina Corp. unlawfully retaliated against a former employee because she complained about race discrimination and filed a discrimination charge, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit it filed Wednesday.

Mountaire Farms is a poultry processor that operates a facility in Lumber Bridge. The company employs about 2,500 employees nationwide.

According to the commission lawsuit, around Aug. 31, 2007, Mountaire Farms gave Carrie Nelson an “unjustifiably negative” performance evaluation in retaliation for two complaints that she had made regarding race discrimination.

Nelson, who is black, had complained to Mountaire Farms’ management that her direct supervisor, who is white, had used racially offensive language about her and in her presence.

Dissatisfied with the company’s response to her discrimination complaints, Nelson filed a discrimination charge with the commission on Oct. 19, 2007.

Nelson was discharged by Mountaire Farms for filing the charge less than two weeks later, the commission said.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to treat an employee less favorably based on race and to retaliate against someone who complains about the discrimination.

The commission filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.

“Retaliation is an issue of special concern to the EEOC,” said Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney for the commission Charlotte District, which includes the commission Raleigh Area Office, where the charge was filed.

“Employees must be free to complain about unlawful practices without fear of retribution,” Barnes said.

The commission enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on the agency’s Web site at www.eeoc.gov.