Questions asked in an interview should focus on your qualifications for the job. Federal and state laws help ensure you aren't asked illegal questions, but occasionally they do come up on an application or in an interview. Some employers may not have a clear understanding of federal and state rules and inquire into areas that are legally off limits.
Questions should be job-related and not used to find out personal information. Employers should not ask about any of the following, because to not hire a candidate because of any one of them is discriminatory:
|
|
For the candidate, it's a good idea to have a plan of action ready if illegal job interview questions are ever asked. Think through possible illegal questions ahead of time and decide how you will handle them.
If you encounter illegal questions, you can be prepared to respond. You are attempting to determine why the interviewer is asking such a question. If you know the intent of the question, then you can reply with an appropriate answer. For example, if you are asked whether you are a United States citizen (not legal to ask), reply that you are authorized to work in the U.S., which is a question the employer can ask you and which is appropriate to answer.
Most illegal questioning is not deliberate. However, any individual who believes that his or her employment rights have been violated may file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC or the Minnesota Department of Human Rights by contacting:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
612-335-4040 (Minneapolis Area Office)
800-669-4000
Minnesota Department of Human Rights
651-539-1100
800-657-3704
You can expect to hear one or more of the following questions, which are perfectly legal. In other parts of this book and this chapter, we address difficult questions that pose challenges, especially if you are an ex-offender looking for a chance to right your life.
