Avoid asking these questions when conducting an interview; they could get you into trouble

By Ashlyn Messier Fox News

Published March 29, 2024 6:18am EDT

As an interviewer, you’ll want to think through and handle with care the questions you plan to ask job applicants to avoid running into potential conflict down the line.

As a general rule, when conducting an interview for an open position, focus on questions that relate specifically to the job at hand — and stay away from questions about the candidate's personal life.

If the applicant doesn’t get the job, and you asked something that could have been perceived as discriminatory, you may find yourself in legal trouble.

Here are a few topics to avoid in an interview with a potential candidate.

Stay away from these questions as an interviewer to avoid perceived discrimination from an applicant.

1. Disabilities

During a job interview, you cannot ask a candidate about a disability or questions to guide them to reveal whether they have a disability, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

If the disability is visible or the applicant has disclosed he or she is disabled, then you can ask the applicant if he needs assistance with the application process or will need some change to the work environment or adjustments to how the job is typically carried out, according to the federal agency.

As an employer, ensure your company is well-equipped to make adjustments and provide assistance to those with disabilities throughout the application process.

You may not ask about genetic information relating to an applicant, such as family medical history, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from asking disability-related questions of an applicant before a job offer is made, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

2. Religion

Questions relating to religion should be avoided during the interview process, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Avoid questions directly or indirectly about religion in a job interview, such as asking an applicant where she attends church or about the holidays she celebrates.

Avoid asking any religion-based questions during an interview. Instead, focus on questions that relate to the job

Religion-based questions are viewed as unrelated to a job. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in the hiring process based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

Therefore, all interview questions relating to any of these specific topics should be avoided.

3. Age

The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects people 40 and older from age-based discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recommends avoiding questions about an individual's age in a job interview to avoid potential legal trouble.

If you are hiring for a job such as a bartender, which has an age requirement, you can ask the applicant if he or she is at least the minimum age.

4. Future family plans

Asking an applicant if she is pregnant or plans on having children are questions that should be avoided during a job interview, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Don't ask a potential employee about marital status or whether he or she has or wants kids during a job interview.

Someone's decision to have children cannot legally factor into a hiring decision.

Avoid asking these questions when conducting an interview; they could get you into trouble

面试的时候不要问这些问题，它们可能会让你陷入麻烦

As an interviewer, you’ll want to think through and handle with care the questions you plan to ask job applicants to avoid running into potential conflict down the line.

作为一名面试官，你需要想清楚并谨慎的选择你准备向求职者提出的问题，以避免面试时发生冲突。（down the line其间某时在某一时刻在某一环节）

As a general rule, when conducting an interview for an open position, focus on questions that relate specifically to the job at hand — and stay away from questions about the candidate's personal life.

一般来讲，在面试一个空缺职位的时候，把关注点放在手头工作相关的问题上，而不要问关于求职者个人生活的问题。

If the applicant doesn’t get the job, and you asked something that could have been perceived as discriminatory, you may find yourself in legal trouble.

如果求职者没有得到这份工作，而你提出了一些可能被视为歧视性的问题，你可能会陷入法律麻烦。

Here are a few topics to avoid in an interview with a potential candidate.

下面是一些在面试潜在候选人的时候需要避免的话题。

1. Disabilities

残疾

During a job interview, you cannot ask a candidate about a disability or questions to guide them to reveal whether they have a disability, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

根据美国平等就业机会委员会的，在求职面试中，你不能向候选人询问残疾相关的问题，也不能向他们提出一些引导他们透露自己是否有残疾的问题。

If the disability is visible or the applicant has disclosed he or she is disabled, then you can ask the applicant if he needs assistance with the application process or will need some change to the work environment or adjustments to how the job is typically carried out, according to the federal agency.

根据联邦机构，如果残疾是直接能看到的，或者申请人说明了他或她的残疾，那么你可以问申请人在求职过程中是否需要协助，或者对工作环境是否需要做些改变，或者对如何开展工作是否需要做些调整。

As an employer, ensure your company is well-equipped to make adjustments and provide assistance to those with disabilities throughout the application process.

作为一名雇主，确保你的公司在残疾人求职过程中能够提供调整和协助。

You may not ask about genetic information relating to an applicant, such as family medical history, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

根据美国平等就业机会委员会的规定，你不能询问与申请人有关的遗传相关信息，如家族病史。

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from asking disability-related questions of an applicant before a job offer is made, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

根据美国劳工部的说法，《美国残疾人法案》禁止雇主在提供offer之前向申请人询问与残疾相关的问题。

2. Religion

宗教信仰

Questions relating to religion should be avoided during the interview process, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

美国平等就业机会委员会表示，面试过程中应避免出现与宗教信仰有关的问题。

Avoid questions directly or indirectly about religion in a job interview, such as asking an applicant where she attends church or about the holidays she celebrates.

在求职面试中，避免直接或间接地询问宗教问题，比如问求职者去哪里的教堂或她过哪个节日。

Religion-based questions are viewed as unrelated to a job. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in the hiring process based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

宗教相关的问题被认为是和工作无关的。1964年《民权法案》第七章禁止在招聘过程中对种族、肤色、宗教、性别和民族的歧视。

Therefore, all interview questions relating to any of these specific topics should be avoided.

因此，面试过程中应避免所有与这些特定主题有关的问题。

3. Age

年龄

The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects people 40 and older from age-based discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recommends avoiding questions about an individual's age in a job interview to avoid potential legal trouble.

1967年的《年龄歧视法》保护40岁及以上的人免受年龄的歧视。美国平等就业机会委员会建议在面试中避免询问个人的年龄，以避免潜在的法律问题。

If you are hiring for a job such as a bartender, which has an age requirement, you can ask the applicant if he or she is at least the minimum age.

如果你要招聘的工作有年龄要求，比如调酒师，你可以问申请人是否达到了最低年龄。

4. Future family plans

未来家庭计划

Asking an applicant if she is pregnant or plans on having children are questions that should be avoided during a job interview, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

根据美国平等就业机会委员会，面试过程中应该避免向求职者询问她是否怀孕或者生孩子计划之类的问题。

Someone's decision to have children cannot legally factor into a hiring decision.

一个人是否决定要孩子，在法律上不能成为招聘的决定性因素。