#CareerTipTuesday - Responding to Illegal or Inappropriate Interview Questions

Federal and State laws prohibit employers from asking certain questions during job interviews. This is intended to protect job seekers from (intentional or unintentional) discrimination within the hiring process. However, sometimes these questions still make their way into the interview setting (often because hiring managers are poorly trained and unaware that they're illegal). 
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So what questions are off-limits within an interview?
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Questions related to legally protected populations are often off limits, including any questions about:

• ​Race
• Age
• Gender
• Religion
• Country of Origin
• Marital/Family Status
• Disability

...or any other protected category - unless directly relevant to the position. 

*For Example, age may be relevant for a bartender position as individuals may have a legal requirement to be at least 21 years old to serve alcohol. In such cases, interviewers ought to ask whether a candidate meets the legal requirements and if they can provide proof of age upon hire. This is very different from simply asking "how old are you?" 
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Questions like: "Do you have any children?" may be intended by an interviewer to simply build rapport with a candidate. However, they are (perhaps unknowingly) asking an illegal question. Some employers may use this information to make assumptions about a candidate's ability to work a particular schedule or an assumed need for frequent and unscheduled time off. 
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So how do you respond to illegal or inappropriate questions during a job interview?
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Our Tip: Be Polite, Professional & Direct. 

1. Redirect:
Politely steer the conversation back to the position. Avoid answering directly and refocus on the job itself. If it was an honest mistake, they'll likely follow your lead and refocus.
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For example, if asked about children or other family-related topics, you may respond with:
" I've read that this is a very family-friendly environment, but I'm most interested in learning more about the position..."
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2. Answer Broadly:
If the question seems innocent, you may decide to simply answer the question. However, keep your answers short, broad and general.
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For example, if asked about a disability, you may decide to respond with:
"I'm able to perform all the requirements of the position with or without accommodations."
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3. Relevance:
If the interviewer keeps pushing a particular question, even after you've tried to refocus, professionally ask about the relevance to the position.
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For For Example:
"Can you help me understand how this question is relevant to the job I'm applying for?"
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The truth is even if an interviewer is unaware that a question is off limits, it does not mean that they won't use your answer to impact their decision. So use your best judgement when responding. 
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Rule of Thumb: If a question involves one (or more) of these legally protected categories, and has nothing to do with one's ability to perform the functions of the job, it is likely an illegal question. 

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Ultimately, it is YOUR decision HOW and WHETHER to answer these questions in an interview. Either way, the presence of these questions within an interview can be a red flag for YOU and an indicator as to the type of employer with whom you're interviewing. 
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Discrimination:
If you do believe that you have been discriminated against by a potential employer within the interview process, you can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  

​Phone: 1-800-669-4000
Online: www.eeoc.gov

Stay informed and remember, interviews are an opportunity for you to identify if the employer is a good fit for YOU as well! If they're toxic in the interview, they'll likely be toxic in the workplace. 

#CareerTipTuesday #InterviewQuestions #Discrimination #EEOC