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Testing

Review your personality test: Is it an illegal ‘medical’ exam?

09/01/2005
Issue: A recent court ruling says certain employment personality tests may violate the ADA.
Risk: If your test screens out people with mental disorders, it could be deemed an illegal …

Personality tests: Yours may now be illegal

08/01/2005
If your job-screening process includes personality testing, review that test now to see if it includes any questions that could be considered “medical inquiries” revealing a person’s mental disability. And check …

Save medical exams for last step in pre-hire screening

08/01/2005
When you or your hiring managers need to fill an open slot fast, it may be tempting to skip steps in the application process. But don’t do it.
Follow the …

Don’t punish employees for wrong drug-Test hunch

08/01/2005

Q. We suspected an employee was using drugs, so we sent him to be tested. We told him he couldn’t work until the test came back in two days. The results were negative. What financial responsibility do we have? Do we owe him lost wages for those two days? —L.B., North Carolina

Hiring, ADA

06/01/2005
When you or your hiring managers need to fill an open slot fast, it may be tempting to skip steps in the application process. But don’t do it; follow the proper …

Quiz applicants on basic skills; don’t wait for a national test

06/01/2005
You’ll soon have access to a new nationally recognized test that can help you gauge entry-level applicants’ job readiness. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is spearheading development of the Equipped for …

Don’t shy away from personality tests, but know the risks

06/01/2005
Issue: Personality tests are the first line of hiring defense at many organizations. Nearly 30 percent of employers use such tests.
Risk: A poorly designed test can open you up …

Dropped your drug testing? You’re not alone

06/01/2005
Workplace drug testing’s popularity has gradually fallen since peaking in 1996, when 81 percent of employers surveyed by the American Management Association (AMA) said they tested. By 2004, that percentage had …

Quiz applicants on basic skills; don’t wait for national test

05/01/2005
Issue: Business and government leaders will unveil a new national job-readiness test next year that you can give entry-level applicants.
Benefit: Cut down on bad entry-level hires. Spot high-school grads …

Personality tests don’t trammel constitutional rights, but beware risks

04/01/2005
Many employers use personality tests to identify job-related characteristics, such as maturity or emotional stability. But these tests can carry legal risk when applied incorrectly.
If you use personality tests, …