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Applicant Screening Examinations
Legal restrictions were placed on the polygraph testing of applicants by the US legislature in the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) of 1988. Exemptions were made for local, state, and federal government, armored car personnel, security alarm specialists, certain private security officers, and those with access to controlled substances. Test questions in applicant examinations can vary widely, and are dictated by the needs of the employer. In law enforcement testing, questions most often address past criminal behavior, illegal drug use, and falsification of the job application and health documents. When sexual questions are included on the examination they relate to serious sexual crimes such as rape, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse. For government jobs that require a security clearance, test questions might cover involvement with foreign intelligence services, terrorist activities, or past disclosures of classified information. Private sector jobs may have polygraph questions about the use or sale of illegal drugs, thefts from past employers, and other criminal behavior. Applicant testing is a very interactive process and highly individualized. The test questions are formulated and reviewed with the applicant during the pretest interview so that there are no surprises during the testing phase of the examination. Examinees are informed of their test results at the end of the session. It is uncommon for employment decisions to be based exclusively on polygraph test results, but the polygraph outcome is frequently used to direct other investigative resources, such as drug testing, focused background inquiries, and record checks.
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