The document summarizes key points from a Department of Labor publication on best practices for using assessments in employment decisions. The DOL recommends using assessments purposefully, taking a whole person approach, using only valid and reliable tools appropriate for the target population, maintaining proper documentation and conditions, and correctly interpreting results. The DOL provides guidance on common assessment methods and ensuring legal compliance regarding disabilities, security, and confidentiality.
4. 4 DOL: PURPOSE OF BOOK To Maximize RIGHT FIT between Jobs & Employees To Improve Assessment Efficiency and Effectiveness To Interpret Results Accurately To Understand Professional and Legal Standards
5. 5 DOL Special Notice “Material in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission from the federal government. Source credit is requested but not required. Permission is required only to reproduce any copyrighted material contained herein.”
6. 6 DOL: Assessments Defined “Any test or procedure used to measure and individual’s employment or career as related to qualifications & interests can be considered a personnel assessment tool.”
7. 7 Assessments Mental/physical ability* Achievement tests Biodata inventories Employment interviews* Personality inventories* Honesty & integrity* measures Education Experience Recommendations & reference checks* Assessment centers Medical examinations Drug and alcohol tests *The Employer’s Edge has tools designed for these purposes
8. 8 DOL on Benefits of Using Assessments Reduce High Employee Turnover Improve Hiring Decisions Eliminate Employee Errors Reduce Absenteeism Improve Productivity Meet Legal and Professional Standards
9. 9 Department of Labor’s AnEmployer’s Guide to 13 Principles Use only in a purposeful manner Use a ‘Whole person’ approach Unbiased & fair to all groups Reliable instruments & procedures Demonstrated valid for the specific purpose for which they are being used Appropriate for the target population
10. 10 Understandable & comprehensive documentation Staff are properly trained Testing conditions are suitable for all test takers Reasonable accommodation for disabilities Instrument security Confidentiality of assessment results Scores are interpreted properly Department of Labor’s AnEmployer’s Guide to Good Practices
11. 11 1. Use assessment tools in a purposeful manner Know what you want to accomplish & why Select a tool(s) that will get you the information you are wanting
12. 12 Inappropriate Use “Assessment instruments can be counter productive when used inappropriately. Inappropriate use stems from not having a clear understanding of what you want to measure and why you want to measure it. Having a clear understanding of the purpose of your assessment system is important is selecting the appropriate assessment tools to meet that purpose.
13. 13 2. Use the whole person approach All assessment tools are subject to errors. Do NOT expect any test or procedure to measure a personal trait or ability with perfect accuracy for every single person. Do NOT expect any test or procedure to be completely accurate in predicting performance.
14. 14 ‘whole person’ approach “Using a single test or procedure will provide you with a limited view of a person’s employment qualifications. Using a variety of assessment tools (whole-person approach)will help educe the number of selection errors made and will boost the effectiveness of your decision making.” Source: Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept of Labor 1999
15. 15 What to look for in a test? Relevant Information Convenience based on your needs Administration (paper/pencil • on-screen) Analysis (fax back • software • internet) User Friendly Report Feedback Cost effective Potential for adverse impact?
16. 16 4. Use only reliable assessment instruments & procedures Reliability The ability of an instrument to measure consistently & with relative absence of error. The higher the reliability confident, the more confidence you can have in the score. A reliable instrument is NOT always valid.
17. 17 Reliability .90 and up……Excellent! .80-.89……… Good .70-.79……… Adequate Below .70……May have limited applicability Source: Testing and Assessment:An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept of Labor 1999
18. 18 5. Use only instruments valid for the specific purpose Validity Ability of an instrument to measure what it is intendedto measure. What does the instrument measure? How well does it measure it? A valid instrument is ALWAYS reliable.
19. 19 Validity Defined “There’s a simple way to think about validity. In selecting or promoting employees, we want to answer one simple question: Do people who do better on this test perform better on the job?” Hiring Great People McGraw-Hill, 1999 p.137
20. 20 What to look for in a test? High Validity .35 & Above…..very beneficial .21-.34…………likely to be useful .11-.20…………depends on circumstances Below .11………unlikely to be useful Source: Testing and Assessment:An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept. of Labor 1999
22. 22 6. Use assessment tools that are appropriate for the target population. No two assessments are alike!!!
23. 23 Pros ConsHonest/Integrity No adverse impact Demonstrated validity Easy to administer Inexpensive to administer Privacy ? Faking possible Interpretation Not for current employees State regulations
24. 24 Pros ConsAbility Tests Most useful performance predictors Easy to administer Inexpensive to administer Can result in high adverse impact Physical ability test costly to develop & administer
25. 25 Pros ConsAchievement Tests Job Knowledge/Work Sample = high validity Easy to administer Inexpensive to administer Less adverse impact Written tests result in adverse impact Work sample tests – expensive to develop
26. 26 Pros ConsBio – Data Inventories Easy to administer Inexpensive to administer Validity evidence Can reduce adverse impact w/ other assessments Privacy concerns Faking
30. Skill of interviewer is critical to the quality of the interviewSource: Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept of Labor 1999
39. In some cases, it is difficult to demonstrate job relatedness and business necessity of education and experience requirementsSource: Testing and Assessment:An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept of Labor 1999
40.
41. Can serve as protection against potential negligent hiring lawsuits
43. Reports almost always positive; they do not help differentiate between good workers and poor workersSource: Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept of Labor 1999
44. 31 Pros ConsAssessment Centers Job/Training performance predictor Mgr. Potential predictor Leadership ability Whole Person approach Expensive to develop Expensive to administer Specialized assessor training
45. 32 Pros ConsMedical Exams Insures safe environment when use consistent with Federal, State, Local laws Cannot be administered prior to job offer Risk of violating regulations
46. 33 Pros ConsDrug/Alcohol tests Ensures safe work environment when consistent with Federal, State, Local laws Considered medical exams Risk of violating applicable regulations
47. 34 7. Use assessment instruments with understandable & comprehensive documentation available
48. 35 What to look for in a test? Technical Validation Documentation “Test manuals should provide a description of the validation procedures used, and evidence of validity, reliability and test fairness.” Source: Testing and Assessment:An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices U.S. Dept. of Labor 1999
49. 36 8. Ensure that administration staff are properly trained Make sure guidelines are followed Answers are not given out Test anxiety is minimized Obtain informed consent & a waiver
50. 37 9. Ensure testing conditions are suitable for all test takers When implementing… Consistency Consistency Consistency
51. 38 10. Provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities Examples of accommodations: Not timed Questions read to person In another language
52. 39 11. Maintain instrument security Make sure access to assessments is safe. If assessments are on the internet, make sure a password is used.
53. 40 12. Maintain confidentiality of assessment results Only those with a legitimate need to know should have access to results Explain your procedures to the test taker
54. 41 13. Ensure that scores are interpreted properly Inferences need to be reasonable, well-founded, and not based on stereotypes Needs to be solid evidence. Should be good support from technical manuals.
