Privacy and legal considerations in Lockheed Martin employee performance evaluations

Lockheed Martin

What privacy rights issues must be addressed?

Over the last few years, the issues of privacy and employee testing have been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because firms are requiring more of their applicants and want to see if they are a good fit for the organization (based upon intense competition from the global workplace). In the case of Lockheed Martin, there are a number of privacy rights that must be taken into consideration to include: the use of third party providers and determining the impact of the test on the facility. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)

The use of third party providers is designed to give firms with the ability to distance themselves from the testing process. As these organizations will administer the exam and they are careful about what kinds of data is collected from employees. Moreover, they also have policies in place to limit the way personal information is used. This increases objectivity and it protects the rights of the individual by not disclosing too much information to the company. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)

Determining the impact on the facility is when a study is conducted to see if applicants felt that the exam was intrusive. This is designed to identify potential privacy problems and quickly mitigate any kind of negative impact on the firm. When this happens, the company can determine if there are any conflicts and create solutions that will address these challenges in the future. Once this takes place, is the point that there will be increased amounts of vigilance in deciding if the test is asking applicants for too much personal information. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)

What legal considerations must be made as you design your performance evaluation section?

The biggest issues that must be taken into consideration during the process of designing a performance evaluation section include: the legal challenges and the impact of negligent hiring decisions. As far as the legal challenges are concerned, Lockheed Martin must design the section to take into account Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964. This states that everyone has the opportunity to apply for and work in a position regardless of their sex, color, disability or nationality. During the performance evaluation process, these views must be expressed to all applicants. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)

At the same time, executives have to focus on the needs of firm and finding the best candidate based upon their qualifications. This will ensure that the company is not violating various provisions of the law and that the process is as objective as possible. Once this takes place, is the point that the company can remain in compliance with these guidelines and effectively screen for the best candidates. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)

Negligent hiring decisions will take place when someone who is unqualified begins working in the position and has a negative impact on the activities of the firm. For Lockheed Martin, this can increase their overall amounts of legal responsibilities though: adversely impacting potential government and private sector contracts. ("Avoiding Legal Issues in Pre-Employment Testing," 2009)