Fewer Firms Testing Employee Literacy : Workplace: A survey of 595 U.S. and Canadian companies found that the number of firms testing to determine workers’ skills has dropped 13%.

At a time when their need for qualified employees is critical, the number of companies screening job applicants for literacy is declining.

That’s one finding of a survey of 595 U.S. and Canadian companies conducted by Olsten Corp. of Westbury, N.Y., a leading provider of temporary help.

Even though three out of four employers say they need workplace-literate employees more than ever, 35% tested applicants for this purpose last year, compared to 48% the year before.

That’s a pity, says Miriam Shubin, who coordinates Olsten’s national literacy program, because “one out of every four employees is bluffing on the job.”

“It (bluffing) could be reading or writing,” she says, “or pretending they understand a new form or approach or how to run a new piece of equipment when they don’t.”

Employers are frequently aware of this, even if many workers believe that their secret is safe. A survey by Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., found 63% of 1,328 employers surveyed knew that they had workers who couldn’t read, write, perform computations or comprehend English, according to a report in Nation’s Business magazine.

By not screening applicants, employers will only get more unprepared workers, Shubin says.

In Los Angeles County, by one estimate, 1 million of 8.5 million adults are functionally illiterate.

“A lot of people coming into our offices looking for employment are unable even to fill out a job application,” says John Mack, president of the Los Angeles Urban League.

Adds Ronald Porter of consulting firm Towers Perrin: “Manufacturers have plenty of job applicants--the problem is their skill deficiencies. Poor reading and writing skills cause over one-third of companies studied to regularly reject job candidates.”

Employers are so desperate for help that one in four National Assn. of Manufacturers members polled by Towers Perrin conceded that they had lowered their hiring standards.

“The lack of basic work force skills is jeopardizing workers’ opportunities for employment mobility and success, and seriously damaging manufacturing technological advancement and productivity,” NAM President Jerry Jasinowski says.

According to Shubin, in states where many workers do not speak English, “you are getting a higher incidence of workplace injuries.”

In addition to accidents, workplace illiterates cost employers dollars by delaying work or making mistakes on jobs and by disappointing customers because they are slow to acquire customer-service skills.

Psychologically, Shubin says, “Workplace illiterates suffer from low self-esteem and a loss of confidence.” This not only inhibits their individual performance but prevents them from being team players.

Employers spend $30 billion a year on employee training, Shubin says, but not enough goes to help people learn to write and communicate effectively.

Workplace illiterates who do not seek help at work can find out where to get it by contacting their local public library, their labor union or by phoning the National Literacy Hot Line at 1-800-228-8813.