USIQ Publishes Revised Top Employer Criteria and Invites Universities to Evaluate Them

USIQ releases version 2026-3.2 of its employer certification criteria, with published scoring rules, a scientific basis and an open call for academic comment.

SHERIDAN, WY, UNITED STATES, November 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The United States Institute for Quality (USIQ) today announced that it has published revised criteria for its Top Employer certification. The new version, 2026-3.2, is dated October 21, 2026, and applies to orders accepted under it. Higher education institutions are invited to evaluate the criteria and submit comments. Employers can now apply for certification under the new criteria.

Many employer seals reveal little about how they are awarded. The USIQ program is built differently: the assessment criteria, the survey questionnaire and the scoring rules are public before any employer applies, and anyone who checks a seal can see the basis for it.

How the criteria work
Employers are scored on a 200-point scale. Up to 100 points come from a confidential employee survey with 32 scored questions in seven dimensions, including working conditions, manager relationships and learning and development. Up to 100 points come from an HR assessment of 39 criteria in eight areas. In that assessment, a practice that is only claimed earns little, and credit grows with documentary evidence.
Four levels are awarded: Certified at 120 points, Silver at 140, Gold at 160 and Platinum at 180. Minimum scores apply to both parts of the assessment and to each survey dimension, so a strong result in one area cannot offset a weak one in another.
All employees are invited to take part in the survey, rather than a selected sample. Results are reported to the employer in aggregate form only, and individual answers are not shown.

Scientific basis
The method was developed by PhDr. Oliver Scharfenberg, MBA, whose doctoral research analyzed employer seals. His research also includes a randomized experiment with 1,093 participants. International experts have provided scientific input, and a Scientific Advisory Board reviews the standards.
“A certification is only as credible as the method behind it,” said Oliver Scharfenberg. “Publishing the criteria and inviting academic scrutiny allows employers, employees and applicants to see how a result comes about.”

Open call for academic comment
The published criteria are open to proposals from universities and business associations. Researchers and institutions that wish to evaluate the document can find the full criteria at www.usiq.org/top-employer/methodology and send comments through the contact form at www.usiq.org/contact.

Stated limits
USIQ states openly that the point weights are program design choices and are not presented as statistically validated predictors of retention or performance. The thresholds do not show that an employer is above the market average, and the levels are not a ranking against other employers. Certification is a private, employer-funded designation, not a government approval.

Verification and availability
Each seal links to a public verification page that shows the level, the covered employer and locations, the exact dates and the methodology version. Certification is valid for 24 months. Employers with at least 10 employees working in the United States may apply at www.usiq.org/top-employer.

About USIQ
USIQ United States Institute for Quality is a registered brand of Quality Standardization and Certification LLC, Sheridan, Wyoming. Its Top Employer program is an employer-funded assessment based on a confidential employee survey and an HR assessment against published criteria.

Gedrianne Abadies
Quality Standardization and Certification LLC
484-473-1088

Media gallery