Coming Home to Roost.

Fannie Mae's workers had $116 million in the employee stock ownership plan at the end of 2006. Today, it's more like $17.5 million. Ouch. The employees of Fannie Mae, and those of its counterpart Freddie Mac, are reeling from financial blows themselves as the mortgage finance companies lurch toward what could be a government bailout. Both firms ladled out hefty servings of stocks and options to reward and compensate employees -- making them popular employers for years. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]