What type of screening device is designed to measure attitudes regarding tolerance of others who steal and other forms of Counterproductivity?

Some firms still use the polygraph (or lie detector) for honesty testing, although current law severely restricts its use. The polygraph is a device that measures physiological changes like increased perspiration. The assumption is that such changes reflect changes in emotional state that accompany lying.

Complaints about offensiveness plus grave doubts about the polygraph’s accuracy culminated in the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988. With a few exceptions the law prohibits employers from conducting polygraph examinations of all job applicants and most employees. Also prohibited under this law are other mechanical or electrical devices that attempt to measure honesty or dishonesty, including psychological stress evaluators and voice stress analyzers. Federal laws don’t prohibit paper and pencil tests and chemical testing [as for drugs].

Who can use the polygraph: Local, state, and federal government employers (including the FBI) can continue to use polygraph exams,. But many local and state government employers are further restricted under state laws. Other employers permitted to use polygraph tests include: industries with national defense or security contracts; certain businesses with nuclear power related contracts with the Department of Energy; businesses and consultants with access to highly classified information; those with counter intelligence related contracts with the FBI or departments of Justice; and private businesses that are (1) hiring private security personnel, (2) hiring persons with access to drugs or (3) doing ongoing investigations involving economic loss or injury to an employer’s business, such as a theft.

Even in the case of ongoing investigations of theft, the law restricts employers’ rights. To administer such a test during an ongoing investigation and employer must meet four standards:

1) First, the employer must show that it served an economic loss or injury. 2) Second, it must show that the employee in question had access to the property. 3) Third, it must have a reasonable suspicion before asking the employee to take the polygraph.

4) Fourth, the employee must be told the details of the investigation before the test, as well as questions to be asked on the polygraph test itself.