What can a prospective employer legally ask you?

 

Categories:	Employers May Ask:	Employers MAY NOT Ask:
Age	Are you under the age of 18?	When were you born? How old are you?
Ancestry or National Origin	No questions	What is your language, ancestry, or national origin?
Birthplace	No questions	Where were you born? Where were your parents born?
Citizenship	Are you a citizen? Do you intend to become a citizen?	Are your parents/spouse citizens? When did you become citizens?
Criminal Record	Have you ever been convicted of a crime?	Have you ever been arrested?
Dependents	No questions	Do you have children? Do you have child care? Do you plan to have children?
Disability	No questions	Do you have a handicap? Have you collected disability/workman’s compensation?
Marital Status	No questions	What is your marital status?
Military	Are you a US veteran? What is your military history?	Are you collecting a service-related disability pension?
Race	No questions	What is your race?  Color?  Photos cannot be required to accompany applications.
Relatives	No questions	Where does your mother, father or any other relative work or conduct business?
Religion	No questions	What religious holidays do you observe?
Sex	No questions	What is your sex?
Sexual Preference	No questions	Are you a homosexual?

 

While it is technically not illegal for an interviewer to ask these questions, it is illegal for them to use the information in these areas to discriminate in hiring.

If you feel you have been discriminated against, contact your local office of Human Rights.

Some employers may ask you questions they should not.  While you should not answer them, be prepared to deal with the underlying issues (for example, a question about age may mean the employer wonders whether you are mature enough to handle the job;  a question about children may indicate a concern about attendance.  You can reassure the employer about these things without directly answering the question.