A counselor hired by a corporation is asked to administer a projective test to assess sexual orientation to screen for homosexual tendencies. What is the appropriate action?

Prepare for the LPCC Law and Ethics Test 2. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Enhance your understanding of ethics and legal standards for effective counseling practice.

The key issue is that using a test to determine someone’s sexual orientation as part of employment screening is unethical and inappropriate. Sexual orientation is a private, protected characteristic, and there is no valid or reliable way a projective test can accurately determine it. Conducting such an assessment for hiring or screening would be discriminatory, risk stigmatizing individuals, and invade privacy—none of which align with professional ethics or legal protections.

Therefore, the appropriate action is to refuse to administer the test and explain that projective tests should not be used to infer sexual orientation or for employment screening. If the employer seeks guidance on policy, you can offer to discuss legitimate, job-related assessments and suggest policy review with human resources, but you must not proceed with the requested assessment.