Validity of work histories obtained by interview

Abstract

The literature on the validity of work histories is reviewed. The present study verified the work histories of 236 persons registered for employment in the St. Paul USES office from 1940-1942. Reported and verified wages yielded validity coefficients ranging from .90 to .93; worker reports and employer records on job duration, .98. For job duties, there was agreement in 94% of the males and 96% of the females. In the cases of disagreement, there was a tendency to inflate the level of skill and responsibility in the job. 29 references. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)