Justice Department recommends new version to deter chance of racial bias
By Sylvia Cooper
The Augusta Chronicle (Georgia)
Copyright 2007 Southeastern Newspapers Corporation
All Rights Reserved
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Minorities looking to become firefighters in Augusta might have a better chance of getting hired if city commissioners approve a proposal to change hiring procedures for the Augusta Fire Department.
The commission’s Administrative Services Committee will hear a proposal Monday designed to enhance minority hiring in the department.
The proposal from a team of city and fire officials recommends changing the entry-level firefighters test to one that has been recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice because of its “high validity and low minority adverse impact.”
The recommendation calls for changing the test from the International Public Management Association (IPMA) Entry-Level Firefighters Test to the Selection Solutions Entry-Level Firefighters Written Test administered by the CWH Co.
Candidates do not need previous firefighters knowledge to do well on the proposed new test, according to the proposal.
The proposal also includes more targeted ongoing recruitment efforts to generate a larger pool of qualified women and minorities.
In addition, an oral interview panel of Augusta Fire Department personnel with the rank of captain and below and a representative from the city’s human Resources Department would be formed. The five-member panel would include at least one female and one person from a historically underrepresented ethnic group.
The recommending team was formed because of complaints of racial bias in the current test and a high number of applicants who failed it. However, no detailed data to support or disclaim any alleged test bias was maintained over a long period of time. But because the CWH test was chosen partly because it does not measure prior job knowledge but a person’s ability to do the job well once firefighter training is received.
Each applicant would be given a study guide for the test in advance.
Human Resources would maintain data to reflect test disparagements and candidate demographics for each testing period.