32 Forbidden Interview Questions
Did you know that some common questions can be “illegal“ if asked during a job interview? If you think it is easy being on the other side of the table, you were wrong. There is a long list of topics that should be avoided by the employer during a job interview.
The following are most common “illegal“ interview questions. Be prepared and bare in mind that you do not have to answer if faced with such questions.
> Job interviewer should not ask a woman for her maiden name.
> or ask if you prefer to be addressed as Mr., Miss, Mrs., or Ms.
> ask the meaning of your name (first, last or middle names).
> or ask about your age if you are more than 18
You do not have to answer questions about your origin, unless you are an illegal immigrant. This means that they should not ask you about:
> Your nationality
> Your birthplace
> Your parent’s birthplace
> What is your native language
> How you learned other languages (besides English)
> US Citizenship (interviewers may only ask if you can prove your eligibility to work in the USA)
> Residence
Also:
> Race
> Ethnicity
> Skin color
> Gender
> Sexual orientation
> Photographs
> Height, weight
> Clothing sizes, measurements
> Religion, faith
> Illness or health status
> Disability (physical or psychological, including the use of drugs and alcohol)
> Past workers compensation claims
> Illness or disability of relatives
> Emergency contact information
> Marital status
> Family status (children, childcare, pregnancies, caring for aged parents, etc.)
> If you have any relatives working for the company
> Legal record, except for crimes specifically related to the job duties
> Legal record of family members
> Military service (An interviewer can ask you only what type of training you may have had in any military time that you served)
> Financial status and debts
In the USA there are very few exceptions that allow exclusion from employment for any of the reasons listed above. If you want to read more about this intriguing subject or you feel that you have experienced an employment interview that was discriminatory visit http://www.eeoc.gov/
32 Forbidden Interview Questions…
[…]Did you know that some common questions can be illegal if asked during a job interview? There is a long list of topics that should be avoided by the employer during a job interview.[…]…
Nice list but you probably ought to qualify the list by saying which country it applies to.
I think regardless of the country the list seems appropriate no matter where you are.
Hi Russ
It applies to USA, but discrimination is universal. I think that people everywhere should be cautious about giving out the listed information.
It is not so much about being illegal or legal, there is always a way to discriminate in a new and improved manner. I just wanted to make people think. Anyway, this story is not finished. If you want to help people, you need to offer a cure, or a way out.
Stay tuned
There a few questions in the list, that if asked slightly differently, are legal.
During an interview, once the technical stuff is out of the way and we get into the “character checking” part of the interview, I always offer up the information that I am a conservative Christian. Why would I do that? Because it immediately states the type of person I am. If who I am upsets the interviewer(s), then the company is most likely a place I would rather not work.
Regards,
Tom Pridham
pridham@mindspring.com
Why are a number of these questions considered illegal if asked by an interviewer, but show up on job applications? Family members working for the company is one that comes to mind.
Thanks,
Jim
I think some of these things you cant ask during a job interview are rediculous, especially not being able to ask if they use drugs or alchohol.
Hello,
asking the question itself is not illegal.
If you are clearly qualified for the job and this problem in question would not prevent you from performing your best on the job but you were denied employment, you can consider yourself discriminated.
Discrimination is illegal.
In fact, asking the question and judging people according to their answer is how our brains work. If you do not want to discriminate then you just do not ask these possibly problematic questions at all.
Well they ask these things all the time and if you don’t answer them or object, what do you think you’re going to do? Sue them? Do you know there’s a lawsuit database that HR checks before hiring and if you’re on it, no job for you? Trust me, your suit, which will be very expensive for you to pursue, will insure that you never work again.
Employers are criminals. Those aren’t my words, those are the words of an IRS agent who knows well what employers do. They routinely break the law with impunity. Just type in “grigsby and cohen” in youtube and see what goes on without repercussion .
Employers verbally demand information they’re not entitled to and if you hesitate at all, you never hear from them again. What case do you have?
It’s the wild west out there, complete with inter-company do not hire blacklists for “bad” employees. There is no law.
Just do yourself a favor and refuse to work for someone else. If you’re selling your services by taking a job, find another way to sell those same services and skills.
I know what I am saying is not happy-sounding, but it’s very real. You may also want to look at the book “corporate confidential” by a long time HR insider if you want to know what really goes on in the hiring process.
sfs
don’t be so pessimistic. After reading your comment I got little paranoid.
Market laws are stronger than any state imposed ones.
If there is a will there is a way.
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From the viewpoint of a Publishing Company Personnel Manager–me–50 years ago, I can only say, what a difference a half century makes.
In my day NONE of these questions were illegal. Some of the very first things I always wanted to know were age, maritial status, and religious affiliations. And, I freely asked these questions, as well as most of the other questions on this “forbidden” list.
sfs
Ever wonder why?
It’s because of the ridiculous restraints placed on the employers by the list of what you can’t ask. Illness or health status -why not? Disability (physical or psychological, including the use of drugs and alcohol) - wouldn’t you want to know? Emergency contact information - huh? Legal record, except for crimes specifically related to the job duties - crooks are crooks.
Because they are not allowed to ask questions that DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE - employers must break the law.