If you are doing job interviews, there are many questions that you may want to ask the person that you could potentially be hiring in the future. It is important to keep in mind that there are a number of questions which are actually illegal to ask. Not only will they make the person you are interviewing feel uncomfortable, but they can also get you into problems with the law. Here are some of the questions that you should avoid asking during a job interview.
Racial Questions
Always avoid asking someone what their race is. Even if you work for a company that offers equal opportunities to job applicants, it is best to avoid asking any questions about race. The question may be well intentioned, especially if you meet someone with a unique accent or features. However, it is illegal for you to ask this during a job interview. Also keep in mind that you should avoid asking about nationality and religion as well, as these questions are considered discriminatory as well. It is illegal not to hire someone for any of these reasons.
Sexual Orientation
Asking someone if they are heterosexual during a job interview is illegal. This should be just as obvious as race, but it is illegal to not hire someone on the basis of them being bisexual or homosexual. While you may have your own thoughts about someone with a sexual orientation that is different from your own, it is unlikely to affect their ability to do the job.
Marital Status
It is illegal to ask someone during a job interview whether they are married. Whether someone is married will not determine whether they can perform more or less labor than another job applicant. Unfortunately, there are many companies who would prefer to hire single individuals than those who have spouses because they feel that they will be more available during the holidays and weekends. It is absolutely no business of the interviewer to ask if the person is married.
Children or Pregnancy
This illegal interview question goes hand in hand with asking about marriage. Not only is it illegal to ask whether the person has children, but it is also illegal to ask them if they are pregnant or if they plan to become pregnant in the near future. It is not at all legal to avoid hiring someone due to their family choices. Having children does determine the person’s ability to do the job. Obviously they understand what will be expected of them if they are applying for the job in the first place.
Asking all of these questions when performing an interview for employment purposes is illegal. The most important thing to keep in mind when interviewing someone for a job position is that if the question feels wrong to ask, it is likely that it probably is. Any time that you feel as though you may be discriminatory against a certain race, gender, sexual orientation or anything else that molds a person into who they are, there is a chance that you are.
