
The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA) is a
United States federal law that generally prevents employers from using
polygraph (lie detector) tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment, with certain exemptions.
Under EPPA, most private employers may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against anybody for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the act. However, the act does permit polygraph tests to be administered to certain applicants for job with
security
Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social ...
firms (such as
armored car,
alarm, and guard companies) and of
pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers. The law does not cover
federal,
state, and
local government agencies.
In addition, employers are required to display a poster in the workplace explaining the EPPA for their employees.
External links
U.S. Department of Labor EPPA pageText of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act - 29 U.S. Code Chapter 22
1988 in law
100th United States Congress
United States federal labor legislation
United States federal legislation articles without infoboxes
United States polygraphy law
1988 in labor relations
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