Not just unethical, these questions are actually illegal to ask a candidate...
1: Where were you born?
2: What is your native language?
3: Are you married?
4: Do you have children?
5: Do you plan to get pregnant?
6: How old are you?
7: Do you observe Yom Kippur?
8: Do you have a disability or chronic illness?
9: Are you in the National Guard?
10: Do you smoke or use alcohol?
Via TechRepublic
10 Comments
can you ask:
Are you green?
There are so many other ways to ask the same thing, like:
Are you on H-1 Visa? We don't provide working visa for employees, you know!?
So, when did you graduate from college?
Where is that you went to college?
Is that French accent I hear?
....
All these cautions are pretty much meaning less now.
strangely, I've been asked 1, 2, 3 and 6 in recent interviews by US firms :P
This article is misleading... there are no questions that are actually "illegal" to ask in an interview (at least by federal law). Employers can ask any question they like as long as they don't end up using that information to discrimate. Although, if an employer were believed to have discriminating hiring practices it could lead to an investigation by the EEOC (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commision) if it were brought to their attention. Also, any employer under 15 employees does not have to follow any EEOC guidelines.
can you ask:
"What's up with the lightsaber?" - especially smaller businesses may not have capacities for Jedis.
i think there is a little confusion...the issue of "illegal" is really how is it percieved?
if someone asks me a question like above or jzxy mentioned it could be connected to not receiving the job BECAUSE of the question....hence "illegal."
in germany, you HAVE to attach a recent portrait photo of you with your resume, and make statements about date and town of birth, marital status, and list your education history till back to elementary school. this helps to already cross out some of the above questions for the following interview. :)
raj - the questions are discouraged but in no way illegal to ask. The hiring decision practices would be the issue. If someone felt they were not hired for race, nationality, age etc. they would contact the EEOC and they would then investigate. If they decided there was a case of discrimination it would then go to court. Cause for opening a case would have to be more than asking these questions alone.
I don't think employers should be asking these questions, just thought the article was misinformed.
But yes, if you felt you weren't hired because of any of these questions (and the employer has less than 15 employees) you should contact the EEOC.
sorry.. i meant if the employer has more than 15 employees.
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