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The following topics should be avoided during interviews:
Age, arrest record, credit information, citizenship, disability, driver’s license, educational attainment, emergency contact information, English language skills, height and weight, marital or family status (child care arrangements), race, color, sex, national origin, and military records
| DO NOT ASK | YOU MAY ASK |
| “Are you on the bus line?” “Do you have a car?” | “Do you have reliable transportation that will get you to and from work each day?” |
| “Do you have kids? How old are they?” | “This job involves unscheduled overtime, and you may not receive notice of overtime until 4pm or 5pm that day. Will you be able to meet those requirements?” |
| “Are you married?” | “This job requires a lot of travel. Will that be a problem?” |
| “How old are you?” | “If hired, can you offer proof that you are at least 18 years of age?” |
| “Are you a citizen?” “That’s an interesting accent. Where are you from?” “That is an interesting name. Is it Italian/Hispanic, etc.?” | “Can you, after accepting employment, submit verification of your ability to work legally in the United States?” (You may give examples of accepted forms of ID, but do not ask what ID the person will be bringing with them after accepting employment.) |
| “Does your religion prevent you from working weekends or holidays?” | You may state to the applicant the regular days, hours or shifts to be worked. Let the candidate tell you she is unable to work the required hours because of religious observances or other personal reasons. |
| “Are you disabled? What is the nature or severity of your disability?” | “Are you able to perform the essential functions of this job with our reasonable accommodation?” |
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This section of the HR Toolkit is of use to AEs and association leadership alike.
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