Day 124 - 10 May 95 - Page 17
1 Again I did not have responsibility for that area.
2
3 Q. No. Presumably you remember the controversy over the use
4 of lie detector tests around 1973, 74?
5 A. I recall that the use of lie detectors became an issue,
6 and that it became illegal to use the test for employment,
7 or to ask employees, current employees, to submit to lie
8 detector tests, absolutely.
9
10 Q. At that time these tests were used, were they standard?
11 I mean, were they used in all stores, or were they just
12 used in different regions at different times, or what?
13 A. It was not used in all stores. Some franchisees felt
14 it helpful to make use of lie detector tests; some Company
15 operations, Company stores used it. As a store manager
16 I have used lie detector tests, and then when it became,
17 when it was obvious that the law was going to be passed,
18 making it illegal, we, as a policy, forbid the use of it.
19
20 Q. Before that time it was used on both existing employees and
21 during recruitment interviews; is that correct?
22 A. On some recruitment interviews, and, primarily, with
23 managers, management candidates.
24
25 Q. But all I am trying to say is it was used both, in some
26 circumstances, for recruitment, in interviews, but also for
27 existing employees as well?
28 A. Existing employees and basically for management
29 recruits.
30
31 Q. But also for other employees?
32 A. Existing employees, yes.
33
34 Q. Yes, but sorry, I mean, also for some crew people
35 were -----
36
37 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Was it used in interviews of potential crew
38 members?
39 A. Rarely. Maybe some franchisees chose to do so. In the
40 60s it was fairly inexpensive. Some franchisees chose to
41 use it as a means of checking out whether or not employees
42 were, you know, had a past history of dishonesty.
43
44 MR. MORRIS: Are you aware that there was this controversy
45 centred around testimony to San Francisco's Deputy Labour
46 Commissioner, Brian Seal? That is where the thing became a
47 public controversy in San Francisco?
48 A. No, I do not have any recollection of that.
49
50 Q. Are you aware that former McDonald's employees had
51 testified to the authorities on the use of lie detector
52 tests and that they were asked about union sympathies,
53 about dishonesty, and, basically, refusing to take a test
54 was grounds for dismissal?
55 A. I am not aware of that. I do not have any recollection
56 of that, no.
57
58 Q. But, whether you remember that they testified that, would
59 that be roughly summing-up the situation of the use of lie
60 detector tests?
