Skip to main content

Where Local Business and Emerging Talent Connect.

Sign Up Log In

mobile menu icon
Help

Illegal Interview Questions

Yes, there are questions that potential employers are barred from asking. Interviewers should only be concerned with your abilities and qualifications.


Illegal questions include:


Age:
• What is your date of birth?
• What year did you graduate from high school or college?
• How much longer do you plan to work before you retire?


Nationality:
• Are you a US citizen?
• What is your national origin?
• What country are you from?
• Is English your first language?
• What is your native tongue?
• How long have you lived here?


Religion:
• What church do you attend?
• What religious holidays do you practice?
• Do you belong to a club or social organization?


Marital and Family Status:
• Are you single, married, widowed, divorced, or separated?
• Is this your maiden name?
• What do you think of interoffice dating?
• Do you have children or are you planning to have children?
• If you get pregnant, will you continue to work and will you come back after maternity leave?
• Who will take care of your children while you’re at work?
• What is your sexual orientation?
• What do your parents do for a living?


Gender:
• We’ve always had a man/woman do this job.  How do you think you will stack up?
• How do you feel about supervising/working with men/women?


Health and Physical Abilities:
• Do you socially drink?
• Do you smoke?
• Do you take drugs?
• Have you ever been treated for drug addiction or alcoholism?
• How much do you weigh?
• How tall are you?
• How many days were you absent from work because of illness last year?
• Do you have any disabilities?
• Have you ever been hospitalized?  If so, for what condition?
• Have you ever been treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist?  If so, for what condition?
• Are you taking any prescribed drugs?
• Have you ever filed a workers’ compensation claim?
• How did you get that scar/mark/other physical abnormality?


Miscellaneous:
• How far is your commute?
• Do you live nearby?
• Have you ever been arrested?
• Do you have any outstanding debt?
• What type of discharge did you receive in the military?
• How often are you deployed for your Army Reserve training exercises?

Click to return to Interview Tips.

Affiliate: The Foundation
Affiliate: Mohawk Valley Edge
Affiliate: Working Solutions
Close

Need help?

Connect Mohawk Valley facilitates on-the-job experiences partnering employers with the right applicants. Not sure how we can help you? Fill out this form below to begin Connecting.

This field is required
This field is required
This field is required