PricewaterhouseCoopers hasagreed to pay $11.625 million to settle a lawsuit claiming theglobal accounting firm discriminated against older applicants forcertain positions.

The deal, outlined incourt papers filedTuesday evening, wouldrequire the global accounting firm to commit to a hiring programthat would allow candidates age 40 or older to apply forentry-level positions. The programmatic relief, which the firmwould be required to maintain for at least two years under thedeal, includes hiring a consultant to advise on inclusivity and agebias in the hiring and training process, advertising positions toolder workers, and avoiding asking for an applicant's collegegraduation date before making a job offer. The settlement alsorequires the company to make "public and internal statements"expressing its commitment to diverse hiring, including usingage-diverse photos in its recruiting materials.

PwC's chief purpose andinclusion officer, Shannon Schuyler, who is charged with workingwith the outside consultant under the settlement, said in anemailed statement that the firm "is proud to affirm its commitmentto identify and hire older workers." 

"The commitments in thissettlement will help PwC remain one of the most sought-afteremployers in the country," Schuyler said. "Our workforce representsthe diversity of perspective, life experiences, and backgrounds,and welcomes talented workers across the age spectrum."

U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar ofthe Northern District of California last year conditionally certified a collective action in the case, which accusedPwC of systematically discriminating against older applicants forassociate, experienced associate, or senior associate positions inthe firm's tax or assurance practices. The proposed settlementincludes about 5,000 applicants who weren't hired byPwC.

"We and AARP Foundation believestrongly that age discrimination in hiring, in particular, is asignificant problem today and limits older workers' access to jobsand contributes to unemployment problems," said Jahan Sagafi ofOutten & Golden, one of the plaintiffs law firms. "It alsolimits employers' access to talent because wherever you have acompany discriminating, they are shooting themselves in the foot bylimiting the pool of talent they can draw from."

From: The Recorder