Interviewing a prospective employee is a vital component of the hiring process. If done effectively, the interview will enable you to assess an applicant’s skills, experience and personality to see if they meet the job’s requirements. You will also have the opportunity to determine whether the applicant will fit in with your corporate culture. To insure you select the most qualified candidates, employers must be well informed on conducting effective interviews. Employers must be aware of federal and state prohibitions on asking certain types of questions during employment interviews. With careful preparation, you can make the most of employment interviews and obtain the information you need to choose wisely.

1. Avoid making statements that could be construed as creating a contract of employment. When describing the job, avoid using terms such as “permanent,” “career job opportunity,” or “long term.” You should also avoid making excessive assurances about job security or statements suggesting that employment would last as long as the employee performed well in the position.
2. Various federal laws affect the questions you may legally ask during an interview:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, you may not ask a question regarding race, sex, color, national origin and religion. Questions on these topics should be completely avoided unless the question relates to a truly bona fide occupational qualification or is required by federal or state law to be asked.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, you may not ask about an applicant’s age. An employer may not ask if a candidate has a disability. You may only ask if there is anything that precludes the candidate – with or without a reasonable accommodation – from performing the job duties required.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 prohibits employers from collecting and using genetic information.

• Are you a U.S. citizen?
• Were you born here?
• Where are you from?
• What is your ethnic heritage?
• What is that accent you have?
• How old are you?
• When were you born?
• Are you married?
• Do you have any children? What are your child care arrangements? (Questions about family status are not job-related and should not be asked.)
• When did you graduate from high school?
• What church do you go to?
• What clubs or organizations do you belong to?
• Have you ever filed a worker’s compensation claim? (You may not ask this question or any related question during the pre-offer stage.)
• What disabilities do you have?
• Do you have AIDS, or are you HIV-positive? (There is no acceptable way to inquire about this or any other medical condition.)
• Have you been arrested? Questions about arrests that did not result in a conviction should never be asked.
• Please submit a photograph. An application should never ask an applicant to submit a photograph – even if the request makes clear that compliance is optional, not mandatory.