Seven Topics and Interviewer Should Never Ask About a Job Applicant

Are you familiar with your rights when it comes to being interviewed? There are laws in place intended to protect your from age, gender and other forms of discrimination, but they cannot work if you do not know you do not have to answer. Read the list below before your next interview to ensure that you're being treated fairly and by the letter of the law: 

1. Age: Regardless of whether you are very young or edging towards retirement, age cannot be a deciding or even one of the motivating factors in the hiring decision. Only questions about whether or not you are old enough to work are acceptable. 

2. Marital status: Whether or not you want to disclose this information is personal and women and men alike are not required to disclose marital status in an interview. 

3. Children: While an employer may have legitimate concerns about your ability to travel, questions based on parental status are not legitimate interview topics. 

4. Religion: Be wary about potential employers who are asking about your religious beliefs. Using religion as a deciding factor in hiring is prohibited. If interviewers want to know when you are available for work more general questions are more than sufficient. 

5. National Guard: While many employers are reluctant to lose an employee to deployment, military service cannot be used as a basis for job discrimination. 

6. Legal Drug Use: So long as these products are not being used on the job, it is not generally legal to discriminate against those who engage in these activities. 

7. Political Affiliation: Interviewers are not allowed to ask about your participation in political organizations, clubs or associations other than those which are related to your ability to perform your job.   

This post was contributed by Kathleen Baker, who writes about online universities. She welcomes your feedback at [email protected]