IRD psychometric tests 'absurd': union

Staff will be taking psychometric tests when reapplying for jobs after IRD announced 30 per cent of jobs will be cut.

Legal action is being threatened against the tax department, with a public workers' union saying long-time staff are being made to take psychometric tests while reapplying for jobs.

Inland Revenue in July announced it would be cutting 1500 jobs - 30 per cent of its workforce - with 4200 jobs affected by changes.

The Public Service Association says the department has been calling on its staff to reapply to retain employment, often in jobs they have been doing for many years.

As part of the reapplication process, Inland Revenue has been coercing staff - including those who had been with the department for up to two decades and were experts in their fields - to take psychometric testing, PSA national secretary Erin Polaczuk said.

Calling the tests "absurd and wasteful", Polaczuk is threatening to take the department to the Employment Court for a violation of its employees' human rights.

A more rational way to test a person's suitability would be to consult their years of existing performance reviews and evaluations with the department, she said, rather than take to a "pseudo-scientific" test.

"We're concerned that psychometric testing is being used as a kind of Trojan horse to make whatever unilateral and arbitrary staffing decisions that senior managers want," Polaczuk said.

The Inland Revenue says it sought an urgent hearing in the Employment Court when it received notice of legal proceedings from the PSA.

Mark Daldorf, chief people officer at the IRD said the department was undergoing a major redesign of its organisation and as part of it there would be a significant number of new roles that would be different to those people were currently performing.

"We are currently going through a selection process for around 860 of these positions, many of which are new specialist roles."

As part of that process it was using a broad range of information about staff to ensure it had the right people in the roles.

"Included in this are psychometric assessments, which help demonstrate a person's suitability for a new position."

Daldorf said people could choose to complete the assessment as part of the selection process.

"Inland Revenue uses these types of assessments in recruitment processes, and for existing employees as part of staff development. "

A date for the Employment Court hearing had yet to be scheduled but in the meantime its transition processes were continuing as planned.

Daldorf said he had no further comments at this time as the matter was before the court.

- with AAP