Workplace Testing: An Employer's Guide to Policies and Practices

What tests can we use before hiring? After hiring? How reliable are the results of personality tests? Will drug testing help our organization, or open the door to lawsuits? How can we make sure testing doesn't violate an employee's privacy?Confused about the use of tests in the workplace? Most employers are. The subject is controversial and increasingly complex. But here at last is a comprehensive, practical guide to all facets of preemployment and employment testing, designed to answer every question that you have.Written by an expert in human resources management, Workplace Testing delivers a complete overview of the various types of tests available to employers today: drug and alcohol testing; psychological testing; personality testing; integrity or honesty testing; and physical testing, including AIDS and genetic tests. Each chapter also includes a summary checklist of key points for ready reference.What's more, you'll learn to evaluate each type of test within a larger context that helps you understand the positive and negative aspects of testing; choose among the vast number and variety of available tests; develop clear testing policies for your organization; ensure that tests are administered and interpreted competently and fairly; steer clear of legal liability resulting from test misuse; use tests appropriately for better hiring, career development, and enhanced productivity; recognize the limitations of testing; and elicit information by other means, from application forms and references to interviews and performance appraisals.At every step, Workplace Testing guides you through the minefield of legal considerations surrounding this issue. In nontechnical terms, the author describes the impact of key legislation - including the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Drug-Free Workplace Act - and identifies federal guidelines that govern testing by employers.Employers afflicted by professional "test anxiety" can refer to this valuable guide with confidence. It will help you determine whether testing is appropriate, desirable, and lawful in virtually any work situation - and will help improve recruitment, hiring, and retention throughout your organization.