Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from July 25, 2013

Want to Avoid a Sex-discrimination Law Suit When Hiring for Physically Demanding Jobs?

" Employers should give tests that measure flexibility, balance, coordination, and other forms of movement quality ." More than 28 percent of Americans today work in physically taxing jobs such as law enforcement, firefighting, construction, maintenance, or the military, so fitness screening is an increasingly important part of the hiring process. However, physical ability tests are also highly litigious because most male applicants are physically stronger than women. This fact leads to physical ability tests being the third highest cause of workplace discrimination suits in Federal courts.  And who, really wants to be sued in Federal court. It turns out that physical fitness tests that focus on sheer strength and endurance may not be the most accurate ways to determine is qualified for a physically demanding job, and may also increase your  likelihood of a gender discrimination lawsuit from female applicants, according to new research from the University of Iowa