Reassess Personality Tests after Court Case

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Some see it as an opportunity for HR executives to reassess their approach to hiring. Others see it as a wake-up call for employers to re-examine their test practices.

The June decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a widely used personality test is a medical examination, and therefore its use as a screening device before an offer of employment (or promotion) is made violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This means that employers should re-examine what tests they give job applicants and candidates competing for promotions, legal experts say. It might even prompt some employers to consider whether they need testing at all in that context.