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.