What is the Employee Polygraph Protection Act?
The Employee Polygraph Protection Act is a federal law that protects employees from being forced to take a lie detector or polygraph test. This law only applies to private employers, and not to the federal government, state or local governments. It covers all businesses in Idaho that have at least one employee, and it establishes requirements for when and why an employer can require an employee to take a polygraph test. Under this law, an employer cannot require an employee to take a polygraph test before hiring, during employment, or as part of any other employment decision. An employer can only require an employee to take a polygraph test in the following circumstances: if the employer reasonably suspects an employee of theft or fraud, or if the employee is being considered for promotion and the employer is concerned about the integrity of the employee. The Employee Polygraph Protection Act also protects the employee from discrimination. If an employer requires an employee to take a polygraph test and the employee refuses, the employer cannot take any adverse action against the employee. This includes termination, suspension, or any other form of discrimination. The Employee Polygraph Protection Act is important because it ensures that employees are protected from being coerced into taking polygraph tests that have nothing to do with their job performance. It also gives employees the assurance that they will not be penalized if they choose to refuse a test.
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