13 Illegal and legal interview questions

1. Age Inappropriate:

• How old are you?
• What year were you born?
• When did you graduate from high school?

Appropriate:

• Before hiring, asking if you are over the minimum age for the hours or working conditions.
• After hiring, verifying same with a birth certificate or other ID, and asking age on insurance forms.

2.Citizenship Inappropriate:

• Are you a citizen of the US?
• Are your parents or spouse citizens of the US?
• On what dates did you , your parents or your spouse acquire US Citizenship?
• Are you, your parents or your spouse naturalized or native-born US citizens?

Appropriate:

• If you are not a US citizen, do you have the legal right to remain permanently in the US?
• What is your visa status (if no to the previous question).
• Are you able to provide proof of employment eligibility upon hire?

3.Criminal Record Inappropriate:

• Have you ever been arrested?
• Have you ever spent a night in jail?

Appropriate:

• Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

4.Disability Inappropriate:

• Do you have any disabilities?
• What’s your medical history?
• How does your condition affect your abilities?

Appropriate:

• Can you perform the specific duties of the job.
• After hiring, ask about medical history on insurance forms.

5.Family Inappropriate:

• Questions concerning spouse, or spouse’s employment, salary, arrangements, or dependents.
• What kind of child care arrangements have you made?
• How will your spouse feel about the amount of time you will be traveling if you get this job?

Appropriate:

• Can you work overtime?
• Is there any reason you can’t start at 7:30am?
• Whether an applicant can meet specified work schedules or has activities or commitments that may prevent him or her from meeting attendance requirements.

6.Marital Status Inappropriate:

• Are you married, divorced, separated, engaged, widowed, etc?
• Is this your maiden or married name?
• What is the name of your relative/spouse/children?
• Do you live with your parents?

Appropriate:

• After hiring, marital status on tax and insurance forms.

7.Military Inappropriate:

• What type or condition is your military discharge?
• Can you supply your discharge papers?
• What is your experience in other than US armed forces?

Appropriate:

• Describe the relevant work experience as it relates to this position that you acquired from a US armed forces.
• 8.National Origin Inappropriate

• What is your nationality?
• Where were you born?
• Where are your parents from?
• What’s your heritage?
• What is your mother tongue?
• How did you acquire the ability to speak, read or write a foreign language?
• How did you acquire familiarity with a foreign country?
• What language is spoken in your home?

Appropriate:

• Verifying legal U.S. residence or work visa status.
• What languages do you speak, read or write fluently?

9.Parental Status Inappropriate:

• How many kids do you have?
• Do you plan to have children?
• How old are your children?
• Are you pregnant?

Appropriate:

• After hiring, asking for dependent information on tax and insurance forms.

10.Race or Skin Color Inappropriate:

• What race are you?
• Are you a member of a minority group?

Appropriate:

• None

11.Religion or Creed Inappropriate:

• What is your religious affiliation?
• Which religious holidays will you be taking off from work?
• Do you attend church regularly?

Appropriate:

• Can you work on Saturdays?

12.Residence Inappropriate:

• Do you own or rent your home?
• Do you live in town?
• With whom do you live?

Appropriate:

• Inquiries about the address to facilitate contact with the applicant.
• Will you be able to start work at 8:00am?

13.Sex Inappropriate:

• Do you wish to be addressed as Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms.?
• What are your plans to have children in the future?

Appropriate: None