Special Event in Celebration of PTCMW's 40th Anniversary -
PTCMW and the EEOC: 40 Years of Progress
Richard Tonowski, Ph.D. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Abstract:
The mid-1970s were rocked by the expansion of civil rights in employment, validity generalization in cognitive ability testing, and the founding of the Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington (PTCMW). This presentation will highlight the developments in law and testing (broadly construed) in the 40 years since PTCMW’s founding, as illustrated in coverage by the organization’s newsletters and speakers. The path leading to the current state of science and practice will be mapped, with glimpses of emerging issues PTCMW may be discussing in the near future: the political and social climate, litigation trends, and professional challenges for human resources management.
Dr. Richard Tonowski joined the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2001 as a Psychologist, worked as the assistant HR director for strategic policy and planning from 2003 to 2006, and then became Chief Psychologist. In that role he reviews test validation documentation; conducts statistical analyses regarding employment practices; and consults with EEOC attorneys and investigators. He also serves as an expert witness in EEOC lawsuits. Currently he writes the “On the Legal Front” column in The Industrial Psychologist and has participated in several recent sessions at annual SIOP conferences involving equal employment opportunity and Big Data issues. Prior to his time with EEOC, he had over 20 years of experience involving public sector test development and validation, performance appraisal, employee surveys, diversity management, and labor relations.
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