Why You Shouldn’t Share Evaluation Findings with Applicants

INSIGHTS FROM OUR CEO

Whether you’re referring a candidate for a pre-employment, fitness for duty, or another type of evaluation that provides a recommendation, it is important to keep the information private from the individual. WHY? These are work-related evaluations for you, the employer, and the final decision-maker. 

Informing applicants of their suitability, specifically that they “failed their psych,” is erroneous and not beneficial. “Suitability” findings result from careful examinations of applicants’ biographical, psychological, medical, and contextual factors – not Pass/Fail.

Directing a candidate or employee to contact FMRT after sharing the results is also a challenging experience for the individual and non-clinical FMRT operational staff. FMRT client support team members will only relay information to people that are approved points of contact at the agency. They also won’t reschedule with a candidate for a second evaluation but will inform FMRT management, who will contact command staff to discuss options. However, unless there’s additional information of relevance, re-evaluations should occur after six months or preferably a year from the initial evaluation. 

*The hiring process is improved when all those involved have a unifying theory of suitability, the underlying social and behavioral knowledge about suitability, and practical applications of suitability information. If you’re interested in suitability training or for more information, please email me – elizabeth@fmrt.org. 

As your agency’s leaders, it is ultimately your decision to hire or keep an individual. We understand that most of you will not move forward in the hiring process if the person is found “not psychologically suitable.” We ask that you consider the following language when rescinding the conditional offer:

“Based upon further consideration, we have determined that you do not meet the guidelines for this position.” 

Adding your policy’s reapplying timeframe language to the above statement is also helpful and gives the candidate some direction.

As always, thank you for your trust and confidence in us. We are here to learn from one another, so please reach out if you’d like further dialogue.

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[1] “Preemployment Psychological Evaluation Guidelines,” Psychological Services Section, International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2014.  “Professional Practice Guidelines for Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations,” American Psychological Associations, 2017.

 

Elizabeth Morris, M.A.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Phone: 336-761-0764 ext. 1011

Email: elizabeth@fmrt.org 

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Legal Business Name Change 

Most of you know us as The FMRT Group, which has been our DBA for 18 years; however, our legal name has been Law Enforcement Services Group. Our legal name is now The FMRT Group, LLC, and we are proud to be a woman-owned business. Click here for our W-9, and let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for your ongoing trust and confidence in FMRT – we look forward to our continued support of public safety professionals and facilitating psychological and medical services.

SC State Agency Contract

FMRT is pleased to announce that we have been awarded the statewide contract to assist with pre-employment psychological evaluation services for State Agencies within South Carolina. We and a couple of other businesses are part of this bid award and appreciate the opportunity. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. 

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Our new episode of the Mind Matters podcast launches this Friday, March 1st. Join us for a conversation with your host Elizabeth and our Business Development Specialist, Izak Zulkowski. We discuss the origins of The FMRT Group and the importance of mental wellness for public safety professionals. You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Tune-In, and more. We’re incredibly excited for the opportunity to share the insightful conversations that we’re having with leading experts in their fields. If you’re interested in joining me as a guest, I’d love to hear from you, and so would our audience. Reach out to me or Izak at izak@fmrt.org.

Our new episode of the Mind Matters podcast launches this Friday, March 1st. Join us for a conversation with your host Elizabeth and our Business Development Specialist, Izak Zulkowski. We discuss the origins of The FMRT Group and the importance of mental wellness for public safety professionals. You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Tune-In, and more. We’re incredibly excited for the opportunity to share the insightful conversations that we’re having with leading experts in their fields. If you’re interested in joining me as a guest, I’d love to hear from you, and so would our audience. Reach out to me or Izak at izak@fmrt.org.

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Our new episode of the Mind Matters podcast launches this Friday, March 1st. Join us for a conversation with your host Elizabeth and our Business Development Specialist, Izak Zulkowski. We discuss the origins of The FMRT Group and the importance of mental wellness for public safety professionals. You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Tune-In, and more. We’re incredibly excited for the opportunity to share the insightful conversations that we’re having with leading experts in their fields. If you’re interested in joining me as a guest, I’d love to hear from you, and so would our audience. Reach out to me or Izak at izak@fmrt.org.