The Use and Abuse of Pre-Employment Personality Tests

Employers are using pre-employment personality tests with increased frequency to identify the candidates best equipped to perform certain jobs and to eliminate the candidates least likely to succeed. While these tests promise higher retention rates and increased objectivity in hiring, they can also expose employers to litigation for violation of federal anti-discrimination statutes. This installment of Accounting Matters explores several recent lawsuits and the laws governing the discrimination claims, and concludes by offering several best practices for reducing the risk of litigation when using pre-employment personality tests.