Suit Targets Bias Against Older Workers in Recruitment

Two rejected applicants are suing PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with allegations that its tradition of recruiting entry-level workers on college campuses hurts older employees' chances of getting those same jobs, reports the Wall Street Journal . The plaintiffs' lawyers also argued in district court that 14,000 older workers were similarly disadvantaged by PwC's system of finding applicants at university career fairs and school-affiliated job websites over four years. The litigants contended PwC disproportionately hires younger employees for its tax and assurance business branches, directs more seasoned applicants into part-time and seasonal positions, and "fosters an age-conscious workplace in which youth is highly valued." PwC countered its hiring practices are merit-based, and that campus recruiting is an efficient and effective strategy many large employers use. PwC's attorney Emily Nicklin said the firm hires less than 5 percent of the 300,000 applicants seeking its U.S. positions each year. The case highlights a demographic conflict in the job market, coinciding with technology-driven shifts that affect the way Americans work, which management researchers and economists say will continue to pressure employers in the future. The case also could impact how large companies recruit top talent from business schools if the courts decide a hiring practice is biased against older applicants.