Pre-Employment Polygraph
A voluntary polygraph screening for job candidates in trust-critical roles — cash handling, security, finance and senior appointments. Used alongside references and standard checks, it gives employers an objective, consent-based read before an offer is signed, in 40+ countries, online or on-site.
In short: a pre-employment polygraph is a voluntary screening of a job candidate, taken with their written consent, that explores prior conduct and anything bearing on trust before they're hired. It supports references and background checks — it doesn't replace them — and its use is subject to local employment law.
What a pre-employment polygraph is for
References and CVs tell you what a candidate chooses to share. For roles where trust is central, a voluntary examination adds an objective check on prior conduct that ordinary vetting can't reach.
The candidate agrees in writing, sees every question in advance, and can decline. It's a screening tool offered as part of a role's requirements — never something imposed.
Most often used for positions with access to cash, stock, sensitive data or security responsibilities, and for senior appointments where a wrong hire is costly.
When employers use it
Cashiers, warehouse and retail staff, drivers, procurement — positions where honesty around money and goods matters day to day.
Security personnel, IT administrators and staff who'll hold keys to systems, premises or confidential information.
Directors, finance leads and branch managers, where a candidate's integrity carries real weight for the whole organisation.
A pre-employment examination typically focuses on a candidate's honesty about prior employment, any history of theft or dishonesty at work, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and matters that bear directly on the role's responsibilities. Questions are always agreed in advance and kept relevant to the job — never intrusive fishing.
How pre-employment screening works
What's included, and what it isn't
- A free consultation to define the role and the risks
- A relevant, job-focused question set agreed in advance
- The candidate's voluntary written consent
- Examination on certified, multi-channel equipment
- Testing in English or Russian as needed
- A written report the employer can act on
- Any test run without the candidate's agreement
- Intrusive questions unrelated to the role
- A guarantee of future behaviour
- A hiring decision made for you — the report is one input
- Absolute certainty — reliability sits at 95–98%
- Use where local law restricts pre-employment testing
Consent and the law
Pre-employment polygraph testing is only ever voluntary and consent-based — but the rules around it vary significantly by country, and this is the one service where local law needs checking first:
- The examinee must give written, informed consent, may see the questions beforehand, and can decline. A refusal should never be treated as an admission
- The rules on pre-employment testing vary across Europe and the UK — in some countries it's used routinely with consent, in others it's more tightly regulated. We confirm what's permitted where you're hiring before proceeding
- Where testing is allowed, it's used as one input alongside references and standard checks — never as the sole basis for a decision
- Personal data is handled under the applicable privacy law (UK GDPR, EU GDPR, PIPEDA and others): clear purpose, consent, secure storage, limited access
- Results go only to the people the employer nominates, and are never shared beyond them without written consent
A pre-employment examination is priced by format and location: from $205 online and from $250 in person, with a discount for screening several candidates together. Testing in a second language adds about $95. The full breakdown is on our pricing page, and your exact quote is free.
What employers say
"We add a voluntary screening step for cash-handling placements. Candidates consented, the questions stayed strictly job-related, and the reports were clear. It's now standard for our higher-risk roles."
"Screening for warehouse and driver roles gave us an objective extra check before offers went out. Professional throughout, and everyone understood it was voluntary."
"Used it for a senior finance appointment alongside references. It added confidence to a big decision. Coordinating the candidate's schedule took a little time, but worth it."
"Fair, consent-based and well explained to candidates. The written reports were easy to act on and helped us hire with more certainty for trust-critical roles."
Pre-employment polygraph testing explained
Hiring for a role that involves cash, stock, security or sensitive information carries a risk that references and a CV can't fully cover. A pre-employment polygraph adds an objective, voluntary layer to that decision: with the candidate's written consent, it explores their honesty about prior conduct and matters that bear directly on the job. It doesn't replace background checks or interviews — it complements them, giving an employer one more objective input before an offer is made.
The examination stays tightly focused on the role. Questions are agreed with the employer in advance and shown to the candidate before the test; they cover things like previous workplace dishonesty, undisclosed conflicts of interest and matters affecting trust in the position, and deliberately avoid intrusive areas that have no bearing on the job. Because it's voluntary, the candidate can decline, and a refusal is never treated as proof of anything.
Crucially, the legality of pre-employment testing differs from country to country — more so than for any of our other services. Across Europe and the UK, some countries use it routinely with consent while others regulate it more tightly. That's why we start every pre-employment engagement by confirming what's allowed where you are, and why we always position the result as one input into a hiring decision rather than the decision itself.
Pre-employment polygraph — frequently asked questions
What does a pre-employment polygraph cover?
Is pre-employment polygraph testing legal?
Can a candidate refuse the test?
How long does it take?
How much does it cost?
Can you screen several candidates at once?
- HelpToCheck homeAbout us and the full range of polygraph services in 40+ countries
- Polygraph blogHR practice, the legal side and how testing works
Arrange pre-employment screening
Share the position and where you're hiring, and we'll confirm what's permitted locally, suggest a format and give you a free quote. We work in English and Russian.
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