DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 33-98
TO	:	ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES ALL ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS
FROM	:	DAVID HENSON Director Office of Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Publication of Testing and Assessment: An Employer's Guide to Good Practices

1. Purpose. To announce the publication of Testing and Assessment: An Employer's Guide to Good Practices. This Guide can help managers and workforce development professionals understand and use employment testing and assessment practices to meet their organization's human resources goals. The Guide describes the essential concepts of employment testing in easy-to-understand terms.

2. Background. In today's competitive marketplace and complex legal environment, employers face the challenge of attracting, developing, and retaining the best employees. The Employment and Training community is frequently called upon to support employers in these efforts. This Guide provides information that will help employers and workforce development professionals understand and use employment testing and assessment services to meet their human resources needs.

3. The Guide. The Guide is structured around employment and testing assessment principles and their applications. The information is organized so that readers from a variety of backgrounds will find the information clear and useful. Topics covered in the Guide include:

   • Personnel Assessment

   • Understanding the Legal Context of Assessment

   • Understanding Test Quality

   • Assessment Tools and Their Uses

   • How to Select Tests

   • Administering Assessment Instruments

   • Using, Scoring, and Interpreting Assessment Instruments

   • Issues and Concerns with Assessment.

   The information presented in the Guide will help workforce development professionals evaluate and select employment testing and assessment procedures that maximize their chances for getting the right fit between jobs and employees. The Guide will assist members of the employment and training community administer, score, and interpret the results of employment testing assessment tools in an efficient and effective manner. Importantly, the Guide will help users of assessment tools understand the professional and legal standards that need to be followed when conducting personnel assessment.

4. Availability. The Guide is available in hard copy through the Government Printing Office; phone orders to 202/512-1800. The Guide is also available as a downloadable pdf file from the following web sites:

   The O*NET Project at: http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet/

   The Office of Policy and Research at: http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/ETA/research/

   The National O*NET Consortium at: http://www.ONETCENTER.ORG

5. Action Required. Please share this TEIN with staff within your organization who require an understanding of issues related to assessments and assessment practices. This may include administrators, lawyers, educators, trainers, personnel researchers, interviewers, employment counselors, test administrators, and other workforce development professionals.

6. Inquiries. Direct Customer Service inquiries to the National O*NET Consortium's Customer Service office. Direct E-mail to: O*NET@esc.state.nc.us. Direct telephone inquiries to: Jeannie Stroupe (919) 733-2790; Fax: (919) 715-0758.