SIOP Position and Advice about the Uniform Guidelines

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) has issued two statements out of concern that Executive Order 14281, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” (April 23, 2025), could lead to the rescission of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (Uniform Guidelines). The Uniform Guidelines provide a clear, research-supported framework for employers to create, validate, and implement merit-based selection procedures. Recission of the Uniform Guidelines opens employers up to legal challenges, makes defending those challenges more uncertain, and may reduce workplace productivity and the effectiveness of talent decisions.

As the professional organization representing industrial and organizational psychologists who develop and implement evidence-based selection procedures, SIOP has issued:

• A two-page policy brief with guidance for government policymakers. It emphasizes the importance of the Uniform Guidelines in ensuring merit-based decisions and equal opportunity for qualified candidates. It states SIOP’s strong opposition to rescission and explains that eliminating these guidelines without replacement would undermine the very meritocracy the Executive Order seeks to promote and deprive employers of needed direction when designing employee decision-making processes.
• A full statement for SIOP members and others involved in establishing and maintaining organizational employment practices, processes, and policies. It explains why we strongly oppose rescission, highlights its negative consequences, and provides recommendations for professional practice in the event of regulatory changes.