Pre-Employment Aptitude Testing

lkg4nfo

We are currently in the interview stages for a telecommunications technician. The applicants need to be able to lift and carry a minimum of 75 pounds, climb a ladder, and other physical tasks. The hiring manager would like to have the final candidates perform an aptitude test prior to any job offer. My concern is if that puts us under any liability for a possible injury. Anyone have help with this ??

System

I gather that you do not conduct pre-employment drug screening and physicals. It may be a good idea to start. Contact a physician's group or a clinic that you can contract with. Provide a copy of the job description with the physical demands of the job. You should be more specific about lifting 75 pounds. For example "must be able to lift 75 pounds unassisted for a distance of 'X' feet." Make it fit what the job really demands. The expense of the exam would be about $40 - $60 per candidate; money well spent. You're asking for trouble with a capital "T" if you attempt to do the functional testing yourself.

Don D

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-17-04 AT 12:48PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Well, sure, you could face liability if someone injured themselves performing your test on your property at your direction. My suggestion is to make it a condition of the job offer, describe the job and all its elements and ask, as we all do, whether they can perform the job with or without accommodation. Then your final candidate is extended an offer conditioned on passing your pre-employment, post offer drug screen and physical. The clinic you use for your physicals should know precisely what the job entails and will determine your candidate's ability to do those things or not. You might even select a clinic that specializes in occupational medicine and workers' comp. They have some really complicated and involved push-pull, climbing, lifting, bending, etc. tests to determine fitness for duty. If YOU or I were to lean a ladder up against a wall and put some weight in a box and tell the candidates to do this or that, we'd miss something, as we are not trained in that type of evaluation. Let the pros do it and pay what it costs. It won't be any cost above and beyond your standard physical cost.

(edit): Sorry, I posted right on Sam's tail. We agree, I think.

Gillian3

If you can find enough candidates to do the work as a test, you won't have to hire anyone at all!!

marc

That Gillian is always thinking!th-up