1. The problem and objective of study Workers in physically demanding jobs have, over the last decade, shown a high incidence of work-related injuries as well as other related physical disorders (Dempsey & Hashemi, 1999:183; Mital & Ramakrishnan, 1999:74; WHO, 1999:1; Weir & Nielson, 2001:128; Cox et al, 2003:6). This has been shown to lead to absenteeism, lost work time and poor work quality which in turn give rise to increased costs of yearly worker compensation claims, medical treatment and general loss of production (Ciriello & Snook, 1999:149; Mital, 1999:246-247; Cox et al., 2003:6). For example, the World Health Organization indicates that work related injuries and illness kill an estimated 1.1 million people worldwide every year. This is roughly equal to the number of worldwide deaths due to malaria each year (WHO, 1999:1). Research indicates that these types of injuries and/or work disability usually occur when the physical demands of the work tasks exceed the physical work capacity of the worker (Chaffin, 1974:251-254; Fraser, 1992:24; Shrey, 1997a:8). Two types of workers are usually pointed out by management in this regard, namely the older workers and females that are exposed to tasks with a high physical demand (Ayoub & Mital, 1989:9; Smith & Mustard, 2004:755; Sluiter, 2006:438). The above-mentioned problem seems to be a global concern (Mital, 1999:246; WHO, 1999:1) and forces companies to better manage the physical incapacity of workers in physical demanding jobs. The management of the electricity supply company in South Africa (hereafter the company) who realised that this problem was also prevalent in their workforce, developed minimum physical ability task requirements, that represent the physical work demands, for all the physically demanding jobs (Lubbe, 2003b:4). These minimum requirements enable the company to determine which workers do not have the physical work capacity to perform their physical work demands and to implement the necessary management process, such as a worksite wellness program, to address the problem. Hence the objective of the study were to determine the: a) role of gender on the physical work capacity profile of workers in the company based on the minimum physical ability task requirements of their job; b) role of age on the physical work capacity profile of workers in the company based on the minimum physical ability task requirements of their job; c) effect of a worksite wellness program on the physical work capacity profile of workers in the company based on the minimum physical ability task requirements of their job. 2. Summary of results a) The physical work capacity of male workers in this population are practically significant greater than that of female workers with the same job-related minimum physical ability task requirements. b) Practically significant more female workers do not have the minimum physical work capacity required by their job, than male workers. c) The physical work capacity of workers in physically demanding jobs within this company declines with aging. d) The age-related decline in physical work capacity for male workers is to such an extent that from the age of 60, the physical work demands of their job exceed their physical work capacity. e) The age-related decline in physical work capacity for female workers is to such an extent that, in general, the indication is that they will never have the required physical work capacity based on the minimum physical ability task requirements of their job, for it is predicted that from the age of 18, the physical work demands of their job exceed their physical work capacity. f) A worksite wellness program assists workers whose physical work capacity profile does not meet the minimum physical ability task requirements of their job, to regain the required physical work capacity. g) A worksite wellness program provide an alternative option to managing the physical work capacity of their workers, other than ill-health retirement, retrenchments or prolonged sick-leave. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Pre-Employment Background Screening (abbreviated PEBS) can be characterized as a set of activities usually conducted before the commencement of the employment under which an employer collects selected personal information voluntarily provided by his job applicants and verify with their consent the completeness, accuracy and veracity of this information, all with a view to selecting the most suitable prospective employees.

"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures En vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit" / Depuis l'avènement du Projet de génome humain, les progrès biotechnologiques déboulent à un rythme effréné. Or, les développements en matière de génétique humaine, riches de promesses pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être, pourraient être utilisés à des fins désastreuses, à savoir la possibilité de discrimination fondée sur les caractéristiques génétiques. Dans le domaine de l'emploi, et particulièrement au stade de la pré-embauche, une telle discrimination pourrait se manifester par le refus d'emploi ou l'offre de moins bonnes conditions d'emploi. En conséquence, l'information génétique utilisée à des fins discriminatoires pourrait considérablement ralentir l'acceptation des nouvelles technologies génétiques. Il faut déterminer si l'encadrement actuel est adéquat compte tenu des problématiques soulevées par l'utilisation du test génétique lors de la préembauche. Ce mémoire présente de façon simplifiée les éléments scientifiques liés à la génétique, fournit de l'information sur le Projet de génome humain, expose les applications actuelles du test génétique dans le milieu de travail et examine les enjeux économiques et éthiques soulevés par ce sujet. Par la suite, nous analysons les avantages et les inconvénients des trois approches relatives aux politiques d'encadrement à la discrimination génétique lors du recrutement des futurs employés. Cette analyse est suivie d'un compte rendu de la situation au Québec pour enfin proposer quelques recommandations de manière à encourager l'élaboration d'une politique d'encadrement satisfaisante. / Since the advent of the Ruman Genome Project, discoveries in the field of human genetics have been prolific. As a result of these scientific developments, new genetic tests are now available for a variety of disorders. Although advances in genetic research promise dramatic progress in the treatment and prevention of genetic diseases, they raise concerns about the protection of human rights of individuals such as the possibility of genetic discrimination by employers. With regards to the workplace, genetic information will surely influence hiring praetices. Therefore, such practices will affect public acceptance of new genetic technologies. Considering the issues raised with regards to genetic testing, is the current legislative framework suitable to avoid genetic discrimination in the hiring process? This thesis will attempt to answer this question. We will begin by an overview of genetics and the Ruman Genome Project. We will examine the ethical and legal implications of genetic testing in the workplace. The thesis will focus on three public policy approaches in dealing with genetic discrimination for employment purposes. After outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, we will analyse the state of the law in the province of Québec. At the end of our discussion, we will propose recommendations to deal more efficiently with the increasing fear of genetic discrimination in the workplace and to limit the adverse effects of genetic information in the hiring process.

Organizations use pre-employment tests to identify individuals characterized as having a propensity (likelihood) to commit theft with the intent to limit at-risk hires, thereby reducing the risk of fraud. Pre-employment tests were originally designed to identify a broad range of deviant behaviors such as previous violations of laws, and violations of social norms and organizational policies (O'Bannon et al., 1989), not as predictive indicators of deviant behavior and theft. In addition, the test most commonly used to identify high fraud risk applicants, the integrity test, has limited support as a valid predictor of theft (MacLane & Walmsley, 2010; Ones et al., 2003; Sackett et al., 1989; Van Iddekinge et al., 2012) within the literature. This study empirically examined the efficacy of pre-employment tests to elicit a predictive profile of white-collar crime by testing the relationship between deviant behaviors, personality traits, and integrity. The data for this study was obtained through questionnaires and pre-employment tests administered within the Federal prison system. The total sample consisted of twenty (N=20) convicted white-collar inmates. Results of this sample were compared to the general population statistics as provided by the pre-employment test providers. In line with the literature, positive relationships were found between low integrity and deviant behaviors. Contrary to past literature, no significant relationships were found between Agreeableness and Integrity or Emotional Stability/Neuroticism and Integrity. A positive relationship was found between high Conscientiousness and Integrity. Of particular note, this study found that the failure rate of the overt-integrity test was 45% and 100% for personality tests in identifying individuals with traits consistent with deviant behaviors. This study contributes to the existing literature on personality, integrity and deviant behaviors by providing insights into the nature of the relationships as they relate to white-collar crime. This study also expands the theory of deviant behaviors with a thorough definition within the literature results, which helps to define the dimension and constructs of deviant behaviors within the workplace as it relates to white-collar crime. Finally, this study specifies practical implications to be considered by management and pre-employment test providers for the purpose of enhancing fraud prevention and reducing deviant behaviors within the organization.

Depuis l'avènement du Projet de génome humain, les progrès biotechnologiques déboulent à un rythme effréné. Or, les développements en matière de génétique humaine, riches de promesses pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être, pourraient être utilisés à des fins désastreuses, à savoir la possibilité de discrimination fondée sur les caractéristiques génétiques. Dans le domaine de l'emploi, et particulièrement au stade de la pré-embauche, une telle discrimination pourrait se manifester par le refus d'emploi ou l'offre de moins bonnes conditions d'emploi. En conséquence, l'information génétique utilisée à des fins discriminatoires pourrait considérablement ralentir l'acceptation des nouvelles technologies génétiques. Il faut déterminer si l'encadrement actuel est adéquat compte tenu des problématiques soulevées par l'utilisation du test génétique lors de la préembauche. Ce mémoire présente de façon simplifiée les éléments scientifiques liés à la génétique, fournit de l'information sur le Projet de génome humain, expose les applications actuelles du test génétique dans le milieu de travail et examine les enjeux économiques et éthiques soulevés par ce sujet. Par la suite, nous analysons les avantages et les inconvénients des trois approches relatives aux politiques d'encadrement à la discrimination génétique lors du recrutement des futurs employés. Cette analyse est suivie d'un compte rendu de la situation au Québec pour enfin proposer quelques recommandations de manière à encourager l'élaboration d'une politique d'encadrement satisfaisante. / Since the advent of the Ruman Genome Project, discoveries in the field of human genetics have been prolific. As a result of these scientific developments, new genetic tests are now available for a variety of disorders. Although advances in genetic research promise dramatic progress in the treatment and prevention of genetic diseases, they raise concerns about the protection of human rights of individuals such as the possibility of genetic discrimination by employers. With regards to the workplace, genetic information will surely influence hiring praetices. Therefore, such practices will affect public acceptance of new genetic technologies. Considering the issues raised with regards to genetic testing, is the current legislative framework suitable to avoid genetic discrimination in the hiring process? This thesis will attempt to answer this question. We will begin by an overview of genetics and the Ruman Genome Project. We will examine the ethical and legal implications of genetic testing in the workplace. The thesis will focus on three public policy approaches in dealing with genetic discrimination for employment purposes. After outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, we will analyse the state of the law in the province of Québec. At the end of our discussion, we will propose recommendations to deal more efficiently with the increasing fear of genetic discrimination in the workplace and to limit the adverse effects of genetic information in the hiring process. / "Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures En vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit"

The purpose of this study was to determine whether application forms used in Texas public schools for teachers and administrators were in compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Texas Human Rights Commission Act (THRCA) regulations regarding preemployment practices. Participating in the study were 740 public school districts in Texas. The study also attempted to determine if these application forms are in violation of EEOC regulations pertaining to pre-employment practices and whether classification based on the districts' size, wealth, student ethnicity and geographical location has a bearing on the degree of compliance with and awareness of EEOC and THRCA regulations. A model employment application form and set of guidelines were developed for school districts to use in securing pre-employment information. Inferential statistics were used through various applicable designs. Three different types of analysis were utilized. These were a Descriptive Analysis, a Goodman- Kruskal Gamma (y) Coefficient—chi-square analysis and a Multiple Regression analysis. The descriptive analysis included the calculation of percentages of the suspect questions appearing on teacher and administrator application forms utilizing the Criteria Used to Determine EEO Compliance and Awareness Among Texas School Districts. The Goodman-Kruskal Gamma (y) Coefficient and the chi-square analysis were employed in order to determine differences in compliance and awareness based on the districts' size, wealth, student ethnicity and geographical location. The GAMTAU. ASC Computer Program was used to test the Gamma values, with a standard z-score. The Multiple Regression analysis was employed to determine to what extent variation in the use of total suspect questions correlated with size, wealth, ethnicity and geographical location. The results of the data analyzed reveal that the size and ethnicity of the school district had a weak but significant correlation with EEO compliance and awareness based on employment application forms for teachers and administrators and that school districts in Texas were not in compliance with EEOC and THRCA regulations regarding application form pre-employment practices.

Talent Discovery Incorporation營運企劃書 / This Business plan illustrates the establish process of a new business of background screening service. Background searching is widely used in the hiring process. In China and Taiwan, almost 90% organizations include background check into their hiring processes. Traditionally, background screening service is a labor-intensive industry, which means that it is time-consuming and costly. Therefore, most organizations are not able to check every job candidates’ background even they know it is very keen to hire the right people. Talent Discovery Incorporation uses an advanced technology platform which enable our customers to understand their job candidates by reports which summarize public information of internet and social media. Meanwhile, Talent Discovery Incorporation provides superior customer service delivered by experts who understand local markets. Combined with these two advantages, Talent Discovery Incorporation will become a new model of Chinese background screening industry.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA(Human Movement Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Bakgrund: Den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen har i takt med digitaliseringens utveckling både utmanats och kompletterats. En önskan från organisationer att skapa en mer kompetensbaserad matchning till en specifik position har bidragit till implementeringen av digitala arbetspsykologiska tester i samband med rekryteringsprocessen. Digitala tester kan ge en indikation på en kandidats arbetsprestanda, vilket kan bidra till bättre anställningsbeslut samt att undvika kostsamma felrekryteringar. Vidare berör studien huruvida digitala tester bidrar till mångfald på en arbetsplats samt belysa den kritik mot digitala tester som finns i dagsläget. Det är av intresse att studera de styrkor som digitala tester bidrar med för att komplettera den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen samt reducera eller eliminera dess svagheter. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att skapa en större förståelse för hur digitala arbetspsykologiska tester kompletterar samt utmanar den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen utifrån ett organisatoriskt perspektiv. Vidare är syftet med studien att belysa huruvida digitala arbetspsykologiska tester bidrar till mångfald på arbetsplatsen. Metod: Vi har genomfört en fallstudie då detta gett oss en möjlighet att upprätta en realistisk beskrivning av organisationens utveckling samt möjligheten att studera vårt fall och dess specifika förutsättningar på djupet. Vi har valt att använda oss av en kvalitativ metod i form av sju intervjuer samt fyra datakällor som komplement. Slutsats: Studiens resultat indikerar att implementeringen av digitala arbetspsykologiska tester har bidragit till en positiv påverkan på organisationens rekryteringsprocess. De svagheter som den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen besitter skapar ett större behov för organisationer att komplettera med ett digitalt verktyg som kan skapa en mer kompetensbaserad rekrytering. Digitala tester möjliggör även till objektivitet vid ett urvalsbeslut då beslut grundas på de egenskaper samt kvaliteter som är av värde, istället för rekryterarens personliga åsikter och intressen. Det empiriska resultatet indikerar att digitala tester bidrar till mångfald på arbetsplatsen då dessa medför att rekryteringsprocessen blir mer objektiv, oavsett i vilket stadie testerna utförs. Komplementet bidrar till att rekryterare kan fokusera på att hitta den mest passande kandidaten för positionen och inte påverkas av medvetna eller omedvetna personliga värderingar. / Background: The traditional recruitment process, in association with the development of digitalisation, has been both challenged and complemented. A desire by organizations to create a more competency-based match for a specific position has contributed to the implement of digital work psychological tests in connection with the recruitment process. Digital tests can give an indication of a candidate's work performance, which can contribute to better hiring decisions and to avoid expensive cost of restarting the recruitment process. Furthermore, the study focus on whether digital testing can contribute to diversity in the workplace and highlight the criticism of digital testing. It is of interest to study the strengths of digital testing that can complement and, in some cases, eliminate the weaknesses of the traditional recruitment process. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to create a bigger understanding of how digital work psychological tests complement and challenge the traditional recruitment process from an organizational perspective. Furthermore, the purpose of the study is to clarify whether digital tests contribute to diversity in the workplace. Method: This study is a case study because it gives us an opportunity to create a realistic description of the development of the organization. This also gives us a opportunity to study our case in depth and its specific conditions. We have chosen to use a qualitative method in the form of seven interviews and four data sources as a complement. Conclusion: The study results show that the implementation of digital work psychological tests has contributed to a positive impact on the organisation's recruitment process. The weaknesses of the traditional recruitment process create a greater need for organizations to complement with a digital tool that can create a more competency-based recruitment. Digital testing also allows for objectivity in a selection decision when decisions are based on the characteristics and qualities that are of value, rather than the recruiter's personal opinions and interests. The empirical result shows that digital tests contribute to diversity in the workplace as the tests generates that the recruitment process becomes more objective, regardless of when the test takes place. The complement helps recruiters to focus on finding the most suitable candidate for the position and not being affected by conscious or unconscious personal values.

Tout employeur sous juridiction provinciale québécoise qui évalue la santé mentale en contexte d’embauche doit utiliser un moyen licite à cet égard, ce qui est le cas du questionnaire médical pré-embauche (QMPE). Or, cet outil ne rencontre pas les standards scientifiques reconnus en matière d’évaluation psychologique, soulevant un sérieux doute sur la qualité des informations qu’il permet de collecter. Conséquemment, le QMPE pourrait contribuer aux collectes intrusives d’informations et/ou aux congédiements pour fausses déclarations. À ce jour, on ignore dans quelle mesure les parties argumentent sur le choix de cet outil et son rôle dans ce type de litiges, de même que si les tribunaux retiennent des arguments à cet égard. Notre premier objectif vise à clarifier ce questionnement à partir d’une analyse de la jurisprudence québécoise. Par ailleurs, les recherches en psychologie démontrent qu’une évaluation rigoureuse de la santé mentale implique de considérer des informations factuelles et perceptuelles, lesquelles peuvent être consignées dans le QMPE. Cependant, cet outil n’est pas conçu pour évaluer la santé mentale. Le second objectif consiste donc, au moyen d’entrevues réalisées avec six juristes et six professionnels, à analyser la pertinence d’utiliser le QMPE au moment de l’embauche. Les résultats 1) démontrent une rareté d’arguments scientifiques avancés par les employeurs et retenus par les tribunaux alors que les candidats/salariés contestent les questions vagues, larges et imprécises du QMPE en justifiant de diverses façons, que les réponses données à ces questions reflétaient leur condition ; et confirment les biais qu’engendre le QMPE et les conséquences qu’il entraîne en droit. Des retombées pour le droit et la psychologie sont discutées et illustrent la valeur ajoutée de recourir à une approche interdisciplinaire pour rencontrer les objectifs de ce mémoire. / Any employer under Quebec provincial jurisdiction assessing mental health must use lawful means, such as the pre-employment medical questionnaire (PEMQ). However, this tool fails to meet the recognized scientific standards for psychological assessments, raising serious doubts on the quality of information it collects. Consequently, the PEMQ could lead to intrusive data collection and/or termination of employment based on false declarations. To date, it remains unclear to what extent the parties dispute the selection of this tool and its role in litigations, or if courts consider scientific arguments in its decisions. Our first objective is to elucidate this issue through an analysis of Quebec case law. Additionally, psychological research indicates that a rigorous mental health evaluation should include both factual and perceptual information, which can be reported with the PEMQ. Nonetheless, the questionnaire is not designed for assessing mental health. Our second objective, therefore, involves assessing the PEMQ's relevance through interviews with six jurists and six professionals. The findings 1) reveal a lack of scientific arguments from employers and there, that the law courts accept, while candidates/employees challenge the questionnaire's vague, broad, and imprecise questions, variously justifying that their responses accurately represented their conditions, and 2) confirm the biases inherent in the PEMQ and its legal repercussions. The discussion addresses the implications for both law and psychology, highlighting the benefits of the employed interdisciplinary approach in meeting our research objectives.