California Landscaping Contractor (C-27) License Practice Exam 2026 - Free C-27 Practice Questions and Study Guide

Lie detector tests are heavily regulated in employment. Under the federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act, private employers, including contractors, generally may not require or request polygraph tests of job applicants or current employees as a condition of hiring or ongoing work. Only government entities—federal, state, or local—and certain government-related scenarios have exemptions that allow polygraph testing. So a contractor cannot legally require lie detector tests, while government agencies may require them in specific, lawfully permitted situations. Even if someone consents to take a polygraph, the private employer is still typically barred from using such a test.