The Employee Polygraph Protection Act prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment.

What EPPA means to your company

Your Company may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test.

Your Company may not discharge, disciple, or discriminate against an employee or prospective employee for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act.

The Act does permit certain prospective employees of security service firms (armored car, alarm, and guard) and of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and dispensers to use a polygraph (a kind of lie detector) test, subject to restrictions.

The Act also permits polygraph testing, subject to restrictions, of certain employees of private firms who are reasonably suspected of involvement in a workplace incident (theft, embezzlement, etc.) that resulted in economic loss to the employer.

NOTE: Where polygraph tests are permitted, they are subject to numerous strict standards concerning the conduct and length of the test. Examinees have a number of specific rights, including the right to a written notice before testing, the right to refuse or discontinue a test, and the right not to have test results disclosed to unauthorized persons.

Your Company is required by law to display the Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster (available in PDF format ONLY, in b&w or color) in conspicuous places -- where current employees or applicants can view it -- in every Company location.

NOTE: Federal, State and local governments are not affected by the law. Also, the law does not apply to tests given by the Federal Government to certain private individuals engaged in national security related activities.