Age Discrimination Class Action Settled, Announce PwC LLP, AARP Foundation, and Outten & Golden LLP

PricewaterhouseCoopers, AARP, AARP Foundation, and the law firm of Outten & Golden LLP are pleased to announce that the Plaintiffs and defendant PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) have reached a mutually consensual resolution of all claims in the class and collective action lawsuit Rabin v. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, pending in the Northern District of California.

In the lawsuit, Plaintiffs alleged that PwC failed to hire them and the Class and Collective Action Members into Associate, Senior Associate, and Experienced Associate positions in the Tax and Assurance lines of service, because they were over 40 years old, in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and of California and Michigan antidiscrimination laws.  PwC denies having engaged in any unlawful discrimination.

The parties have agreed to settle all claims in the lawsuit for $11.625 million. PwC has also agreed to enhance certain of its recruiting procedures geared toward further attracting qualified older applicants for entry-level jobs. PwC is proud of its excellent recruiting and hiring practices, including focusing on diversity, nondiscrimination, and inclusion. For example, PwC is taking steps to further enhance the ability of alumni to apply to positions available through on-campus recruiting programs, which promotes an age-diverse applicant pool.  PwC’s Chief Purpose & Inclusion Officer, Shannon Schuyler, stated, “PwC is proud to affirm its commitment to identify and hire older workers. The commitments in this settlement will help PwC remain one of the most sought-after employers in the country. Our workforce represents the diversity of perspective, life experiences and backgrounds, and welcomes talented workers across the age spectrum.”

The parties agree that the settlement is not an admission of liability by PwC.

The Plaintiffs and proposed class and collective members are represented by:
AARP Foundation Litigation
AARP Media Relations
Madison Daniels, mdaniels@aarp.org

Outten & Golden LLP
Jahan C. Sagafi, jsagafi@outtengolden.com, 415-638-8808

The press contact for Defendant PricewaterhouseCoopers is:
Andy Liuzzi, robert.liuzzi@pwc.com

AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable older adults build economic opportunity and social connectedness. As AARP’s charitable affiliate, we serve AARP members and nonmembers alike. Bolstered by vigorous legal advocacy, we spark bold, innovative solutions that foster resilience, strengthen communities and restore hope.

About Outten & Golden
Outten & Golden LLP focuses on advising and representing individuals in employment, partnership, and related workplace matters both domestically and internationally. The firm counsels individuals on employment and severance agreements; handles complex compensation and benefits issues (including bonuses, commissions, and stock/ option agreements); and advises professionals (including doctors and lawyers) on contractual issues. It also represents employees with a wide variety of claims, including discrimination and harassment based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, disability, national origin, religion, and age, and retaliation, whistleblower, and contract claims. The firm handles class actions involving a wide range of employment issues, including economic exploitation, gender- and race-based discrimination, wage-and-hour violations, and other systemic workers’ rights issues.

Outten & Golden has nine practice groups: Executives & Professionals, Financial Services, Sex Discrimination & Sexual Harassment, Family Responsibilities & Disabilities Discrimination, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Workplace Rights, Discrimination & Retaliation, Whistleblower Retaliation, Class & Collective Actions, and WARN Act.

Outten & Golden has offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

SOURCE Outten & Golden and AARP Foundation