My company is undergoing a merger. The new HR department just sent out a company-wide e-mail for us to take a skills assessment test. . That makes me think they’re using it to figure out who to let go and who to keep. Could I be shooting myself in the foot by taking the test? Am I allowed to refuse the test if I wasn’t required to take any tests like this when I was first hired?
You could be shooting yourself in the foot by refusing to take the skills assessment test. In accordance with Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, your refusal could be construed as “willful misconduct, disobedience or willful neglect of duty” and grounds to terminate you with zero notice or severance.
Changes in company ownership can certainly bring with them periods of uncertainty. In your case, your question seems to be one of whether an employee can be required to reprove themselves to their employer. It is also important to bear in mind that you have not been told you are being reassessed for your potential employability, but that is a conclusion you have drawn from your own research.