Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7f64f4797f-d7bbv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-09T07:49:21.992Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 11 - Twenty Questions about Employment Testing Bias and Unfairness in Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2025

Winfred Arthur, Jr.
Affiliation:
Texas A & M University
Dennis Doverspike
Affiliation:
George Mason University
Benjamin D. Schulte
Affiliation:
Texas A & M University
Get access

Summary

The chapter examines bias and fairness in employment testing in Italy, comparing the public and private sectors. Public sector hiring is strictly regulated, based on transparency, equality, and meritocracy, as stated in the Constitution. Hiring occurs through public competitions with standardized exams focused on qualifications and technical skills, with growing attention to soft skills. The private sector is more flexible, adapting selection to business needs and emphasizing practical skills, experience, and cultural fit, enabling quicker hiring. Private companies often use innovative methods, including AI tools and social media screening, and value diversity and international profiles. Italian labor laws, aligned with EU directives, prohibit discrimination based on sex/gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Employers must ensure fair, compliant selection processes. Professional guidelines stress the use of valid, unbiased tools. The rise of technology in hiring highlights the need to manage algorithmic bias, with final decisions remaining a human responsibility.

Information

Type
Chapter

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000.Google Scholar
Calvi, E., Gulotta, G., & Leardini, E. (2018). Il nuovo codice deontologico degli psicologi. Commentato articolo per articolo con decisioni ordinistiche e giurisprudenza ordinaria. Giuffrè.Google Scholar
Carinci, F., Tosi, P., De Luca Tamajo, R., & Treu, T. (2022). Diritto del lavoro. Utet Giuridica.Google Scholar
Cirillo, V., Fana, M., & Guarascio, D. (2017). Labour market reforms in Italy: Evaluating the effects of the Jobs Act. Economia Politica, 34(2), 211232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40888-017-0058-2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Council of Europe (1950). European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as amended by Protocols Nos. 11 and 14, 4 November 1950, ETS 5. www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3b04.htmlGoogle Scholar
Council of Europe (1961). European Social Charter, 18 October 1961, ETS 35. www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3784.htmlGoogle Scholar
Decree of the President of the Italian Republic of June 16, 2023 (DPR No.82/2023). Regulation amending the decree of the President of the Republic on May 9, 1994, no. 487, concerning rules on access to positions in public administrations and the procedures for conducting competitions, unified competitions, and other forms of recruitment in public employment. – Decree of the President of the Italian Republic of June 16th 2023 (DPR No.82/2023).Google Scholar
Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, July 5, 2006, concerning the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation.Google Scholar
Italian Court of Cassation, Labor Section, No. 20253/2021.Google Scholar
Italian Law of May 20, 1970, No. 300, Laws on the protection of the freedom and dignity of workers, trade union freedom, and trade union activity in the workplace, and regulations on placement.Google Scholar
Italian Law of February 5,1992, No. 104, Framework law for the assistance, social integration, and rights of disabled persons.Google Scholar
Italian Law of March 12, 1999, No. 68, Norms for the Right to Employment of People with Disabilities.Google Scholar
Italian Law of December 10, 2014, No. 183, Delegation to the Government for reforms of social safety nets, employment services and active labour policies.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, March 30, 2001, No. 165, General rules on the organization of work in the employment of public administrations.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, June 30, 2003, No. 196, Code on the Protection of Personal Data.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, July 9, 2003, No. 216, Implementation of Directive 2000/78/EC for equal treatment in the field of employment and working conditions.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, April 11, 2006, No. 198, Code of Equal Opportunities between Men and Women.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, April 9, 2008, No. 81, Implementation of Article 1 of Law No. 123 of August 3, 2007, regarding the protection of health and safety in the workplace.Google Scholar
Italian Legislative Decree, January 25, 2010, No. 5, Implementation of Directive 2006/54/EC for equal opportunities and equal treatment between men and women in employment and occupation.Google Scholar
Italian Ministerial Decree No. 360/2022, Guidelines on access to public management.Google Scholar
National Council of the Order of Psychologists (2005). Guidelines for the psychological assessment and selection of personnel. www.oprc.it/servizi-ai-professionisti/servizi-agli-iscritti/linee-guida/linee-guida-per-la-valutazione-e-la-selezione-del-personale/Google Scholar
National Council of the Order of Psychologists (2009). Agreement between the National Board of Italian Psychologists (CNOP) and the National Council of Labour Consultants. www.psy.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/conv_consulenti.pdfGoogle Scholar
National Council of the Order of Psychologists (2023). Code of ethics for Italian psychologists [Codice Deontologico delle Psicologhe e degli Psicologi Italiani]. https://www.psy.it/la-professione-psicologica/codice-deontologico-degli-psicologi-italiani/codice-deontologico-vigente/Google Scholar
National School of Administration (2022). Guidelines for the selection of public managers [Linee guida per la selezione dei dirigenti pubblici]. https://sna.gov.it/home/attivita/ricerca/progetti-di-ricerca/progetti-in-corso/competenze-per-la-pa/Google Scholar
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC.Google Scholar
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. (2018). Principles for the validation and use of personnel selection procedures (5th ed.). Author.Google Scholar
UNI – Italian National Authority of Standardization. (2017). Human resource management – Guidelines for recruitment (UNI ISO 30405:2017). www.uni.com/guida-alle-assunzioni/Google Scholar
United Nations General Assembly. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). United Nations General Assembly.Google Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×