A. Need for uniformity--Issuing agencies. The Federal government's
need for a uniform set of principles on the question of the use of tests
and other selection procedures has long been recognized. The Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, the Civil Service Commission, the
Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice jointly have adopted
these uniform guidelines to meet that need, and to apply the same
principles to the Federal Government as are applied to other employers.
B. Purpose of guidelines. These guidelines incorporate a single set
of principles which are designed to assist employers, labor
organizations, employment agencies, and licensing and certification
boards to comply with requirements of Federal law prohibiting employment
practices which discriminate on grounds of race, color, religion, sex,
and national origin. They are designed to provide a framework for
determining the proper use of tests and other selection procedures.
These guidelines do not require a user to conduct validity studies of
selection procedures where no adverse impact results. However, all users
are encouraged to use selection procedures which are valid, especially
users operating under merit principles.
C. Relation to prior guidelines. These guidelines are based upon and
supersede previously issued guidelines on employee selection procedures.
These guidelines have been built upon court decisions, the previously
issued guidelines of the agencies, and the practical experience of the
agencies, as well as the standards of the psychological profession.
These guidelines are intended to be consistent with existing law.
