Have you ever had to answer an interview question that was oddly personal or invasive, even for an ice breaker? Then there’s a high chance of that question being illegal.
Illegal interview questions are questions about you as a person, your background or your identity, but not about your abilities or qualifications for a job position. The answers to these questions could enable discrimination against job applicants and bias, implicit or otherwise, in the interviewer.
Fortunately, there are laws in place that legally protect job applicants from discrimination for any of these reasons: race, ethnicity, color, national origin, birthplace, disability, age, religion, political views, gender, marital status, family status, and pregnancy. Thus, employers cannot legally ask questions concerning these topics.
Below are examples of the illegal questions which violate the laws protecting you.
How to Respond
While these questions are illegal and inappropriate, there is no right or wrong answer to give in response. You have a variety of options, and can use your judgment to respond appropriately. Below are a few examples.
After the interview, if you feel it appropriate, you can report the illegal interview question to the HR department of the organization you had the interview with, and/or you can file a formal complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If you’re unsure or would like more support, St. Kate’s Career Development office is always eager to help!
Whereas if you want help answering legal interview questions, that can be found here! Or you can schedule an appointment with a career coach for a mock interview.
Stay vigilant and stay safe!
