The Feds Say Pennsylvania's Pushup Test for State Troopers is Sexist

Submitted by Mastodon on Thu, 2014-07-31 19:56

Article here. Excerpt:

'The federal government is suing Pennsylvania over a physical fitness test it argues unfairly and unnecessarily disadvantages women who apply to be state troopers.

Applicants to the Pennsylvania State Police Academy must pass a Physical Readiness Test that requires, among other things, jumping 14 inches in the air; running 1.5 miles in 17 minutes and 48 seconds; and performing 13 pushups. The Police Department maintains that each aspect of the test measures a skill necessary for the job: It says (PDF) pushups, for example, reflect on an applicant’s aptitude for “tasks including use of force, lifting, carrying, and pushing.”

In a lawsuit (PDF) filed on Tuesday in federal court in Pennsylvania, the Department of Justice argues that the test—along with its previous version—is “not job-related for the entry-level trooper position” and “not consistent with business necessity.” The agency contends that alternatives are available that would accomplish the police department’s legitimate goals with less discriminatory impact.'

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Comments

I don't think requiring 13 pushups is discriminatory. I say this because even I can do 13 pushups and I'm considerably overweight. I'm quite sure I could do the running too. However, I doubt that I could be a state trooper in my current state. I think that someone who couldn't meet these fitness requirements really should consider another line of work. Or at least train a bit and try again.

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Submitted by xtrnl on Tue, 2014-08-05 02:32