10 Interview Questions That Employers Can’t Ask You
When interviewing applicants for a job title it is crucial for an employer to avoid asking discriminatory interview questions. Of all the anti-discrimination laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) appears to be the most confusing for employers, especially during their hiring process. In order to properly assess an applicant’s qualifications and strengths, it is critical for an employer to remember to ask questions solely about the applicant’s abilities rather than disabilities. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces the ADA, prevents employers from asking discriminatory questions during his or her hiring process. Here are 10 questions that employers aren’t legally allowed to ask applicants during an interview:
1. List any conditions or diseases for which you have been treated within the past 5 years.
2. Have you ever been hospitalized? If so, for what?
3. How many days were you absent from your previous job due to an illness?
4. Have you ever been treated for any mental condition?
5. Have you ever been treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist?
6. Have you ever been treated for alcoholism or a drug addiction?
7. Are you currently taking any prescription drugs?
8. Do you have any physical defects that preclude you from doing certain things?
9. Do you have any disabilities that will affect your ability to complete the job description?
10. Have you ever filed a worker’s compensation claim?
Also, if an employer has no reason to believe that the applicant has a disability, he or she cannot ask whether the applicant will need accommodation. Employers may ask if an applicant needs accommodation only if they have reasons to believe that the applicant has a disability. For example, if the applicant has told an employer about his or her disability. These are only a few of the many discriminatory questions that an employer isn’t legally allowed to ask an applicant.
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