A study examined the attitudes of Pennsylvania employers toward General Educational Development (GED) programs and the employment experiences of persons who have earned a GED certificate. The first of the study's surveys was mailed to 100 employers (including the 50 largest) throughout the state. Based on the surveys returned, the study sample was expanded to 178 employers to provide a sampling representing the different numbers of employees in a business, types of businesses, and geographic locations within the state. A 68 percent rate of return was obtained for the combined mailings. Additional data were obtained from a survey of GED graduates who had either been hired or been interviewed for employment since obtaining their GED certificate. When comparing persons holding GED certificates to persons who had earned regular high school diplomas, the employers tended to view the GED graduates as older, more highly motivated, and more mature than their high school graduate counterparts. The employers did not tend to associate either degree with a particular socioeconomic status. Nearly 50 percent of the employers surveyed were unaware of exactly what the GED test measured and tested. The most prevalent perception of the GED program by those who were familiar with it was that it offers persons a second chance at a diploma. Many employers expressed frustration over their lack of knowledge about the workings and benefits of the GED and recommended that more be done to publicize the benefits of and improve the public image of the GED program. (Appendixes include the various survey letters and forms, information about the employers included in the survey, and information on job availability and occupational demand in Pennsylvania and in the greater Harrisburg area.) (MN)