(a)  No employer or agent of any employer shall either orally or in writing request, require, or subject any employee to any lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 28-6.1-1

  • Employee: means any person who has entered into the employment of or works under contract of service or apprenticeship with any employer, except that in the case of a city or town other than the city of Providence it shall only mean that class or those classes of employees as may be designated by a city, town, or regional school district in a manner provided in this chapter to receive compensation under chapters 29 — 38 of this title. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-29-2
  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
  • lie detector test: means any test utilizing a polygraph or any other device, mechanism, instrument, or written examination that is operated or the results of which are used or interpreted by an examiner for the purpose of purporting to assist in or enable the detection of deception, the verification of truthfulness, or the rendering of a diagnostic opinion regarding the honesty of an individual. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-6.1-4

(b)  Written examinations as defined in § 28-6.1-4 may be used as long as the results of the written examinations are not used to form the primary basis for an employment decision.

(c)  It is not a valid defense brought under this chapter that the lie detector test was administered outside the state for the purpose of employment within the state.

History of Section.
P.L. 1964, ch. 229, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 398, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 159, § 2.