There's no good reason to ask the questions at a job interview if they do not specifically relate to the recruitment decision. It is therefore best practice, including from a legal vulnerability perspective, to avoid asking personal questions unless they are directly relevant to the candidate's ability to do the job, or are follow-up questions in relation to something the candidate has raised (and even with the latter, you need to be careful).Surely questions alone are not discriminatory? I would have thought a problem only arises if the decision on who to recruit is based on the information gleaned from those questions.
Why yes, Mr. Crowley, I did ask questions relating to the candidate's marital status and number of children and relate this specifically to their level of ambition
Discrimination is wrong but things are going to far when an interviewer cannot ask whether a candidate is married or not.
It's only discrimination if you thought the person you hired would be better because s/he came from a "better" neighbourhood.
Another option might to politely turn it back on the interviewer and ask them why they consider the question relevant and appropriate.I'm a great believer in applying common sense in these situations...there seem to be two options when asked if you're married at a job interview. Option 1 is get defensive, refuse to answer, say the question is inappropriate or complain to a relevant authority. Option 2 is to answer the question honestly.
Hopefully others have a more open mind and might value the independence of mind that might be attributable to somebody not just slavishly answering any question in the interview just for the sake of it.Assuming most people at an interview want the job choosing anything other than Option 2 in my opinion shows a lack of common sense and reflects badly on the candidate.
The point, though, is that it should not normally come up. Questions at a job interview (and I've done many, from either side of the table) should relate to the candidate's ability to do the job. Marital status is not relevant to that ability.Assuming most people at an interview want the job choosing anything other than Option 2 in my opinion shows a lack of common sense and reflects badly on the candidate.
Hopefully others have a more open mind and might value the independence of mind that might be attributable to somebody not just slavishly answering any question in the interview just for the sake of it.
The answer to the second question is not necessarily implied by the answer to the first. Single could mean not in any form of long term/live-in relationship. For example gay couples cannot marry (at the moment) but would probably would not count as single if in a committed long term live-in relationship.Are you married? NO,
oh are you single then? eh yeh!!!
Well, let's hope this never happens here for example...!there is a post below about why not ask about marital status, its a massive part of someones life...yeh, I totally agree... BUT its a massive part of someones PERSONAL life (not their work life)
relationships/marraiges/personal status is private and personal to each and everyone and no body should have to answer questions on it to a stranger at an interview.
Actually...Well actually, I can't answer that because although I am a female now, I wasn't always a woman!
Are you sure about that, extopia?
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