{"id":357922,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/workplace-privacy\/lie-detector-tests-the-employee-polygraph-protection-act-of-1988.html"},"modified":"2024-05-01T14:27:45","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T19:27:45","slug":"lie-detector-tests-the-employee-polygraph-protection-act-of-1988","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/workplace-privacy\/lie-detector-tests-the-employee-polygraph-protection-act-of-1988.html","title":{"rendered":"Lie Detector Tests: The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lie Detector Tests: The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lisa Burden, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Since their creation in 1921, people have used polygraphs in many situations. While they can help determine whether someone is being truthful, there are limits to how polygraph tests can be used in a private workplace. The U.S. Congress passed the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988<\/a> (EPPA) to protect employees from unnecessary lie detector tests.<\/p>\r\n

Who Must Comply<\/h2>\r\n

The EPPA<\/a> covers most private employers. The federal law does not apply to federal, state, or local government workers.<\/p>\r\n

Civil service rules protect government employees from lie detector tests, although there are exceptions. Federal contractor employees engaged in national security intelligence or counterintelligence are exempt.<\/p>\r\n

Basic Requirements<\/h2>\r\n

Employees have a right to employment without having to take lie detector tests<\/a> unless an exemption applies. If you work for a private sector employer, your employer may not require that you, any other current employee, or a job applicant take a lie detector test.<\/p>\r\n

Private employers can’t use lie detector tests:<\/p>\r\n