Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Pre-Employment Physical Strength Testing

By William C. Martucci and Kristen A. Page
April 27, 2007

Pre-employment testing has always been risky business, but a recent high-dollar jury verdict has sharpened the focus on such testing. In the latter months of 2006, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals considered and affirmed a $3.4 million verdict in favor of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a case involving an employer's efforts to reduce workplace injuries through pre-employment testing. EEOC v. Dial Corporation, 469 F.3d 735 (8th Cir. 2006).

The Dial Corporation, which had implemented a physical strength test for all applicants seeking to work in the sausage-packing area of one of its meat-packing plants, argued that the test was justified and necessary to its business. The jury rejected Dial's arguments and found the company had engaged in a pattern and practice of intentional sex discrimination. The district court also held that the test had an unlawful disparate impact on women.

This premium content is locked for Employment Law Strategist subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.