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What employers need to know about lie detector tests

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This article originally appeared in the January 7, 2007 edition of Boca Raton News, www.bocanews.com. Reprinted with permission.

The prevalence of police dramas on television often encourages employers to consider the polygraph or lie detector test as part of internal investigations. Before even suggesting a polygraph test to employees, employers should be aware of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act. The federal statute makes it unlawful to require, request, suggest or cause any employee or prospective employee to take or submit to any lie detector test.

In their weekly Boca Raton News column, Hodgson Russ partners Larry Corman and Glenn Rissman explain why using polygraph or lie detector tests in employment situations is discouraged.