Reducing Legal Liabilities for a Major Airline

Despite the change in job responsibilities and elimination of the need for math skills, the out-dated test remained a standard requirement for employment.

A major U.S. airline employed a mathematics test to screen candidates for hourly positions in their ramp operations. The test was developed by a supervisor and originally intended for positions responsible for refueling aircraft. Accurate calculations are obviously critical for the safety of the passengers and crew. For this reason, even a "home grown" test appeared to be legally defensible in the eyes of the company's current legal counsel. Over a period of years the airline established a policy of screening all of their candidates for ramp operation positions using the same math test. Eventually the task of refueling aircraft was outsourced to an independent contractor. Despite the change in job responsibilities and elimination of the need for math skills, the out-dated test remained a standard requirement for employment. The testing program eventually became part of the ramp worker's labor agreement. The company's Vice President of Human Resources, aware of the test policy's shortcomings, contacted EASI·Consult LLC for advice. An in-depth audit was conducted of the pre-employment screening process paying close attention to equal employment opportunity laws. The testing program was reviewed with specific reference to the U.S. Federal Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures and the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Once the company's legal counsel reviewed the audit report, the legal and HR departments collaborated to convince their senior management to replace the test with a professionally developed and valid test program.

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