In some cases, potential employees can spot red flags during an interview that may mean discrimination is likely. This discrimination could happen during the hiring process itself. It could also tell the employee that this is a workplace where that type of activity is common, so even if they get hired, they could face discrimination moving forward.
The key is to watch out for employers who ask illegal interview questions. They need to know what types of questions are and are not permitted under the law to avoid violating anyone’s rights.
Questions about protected classes
Often, the issue is when the questions revolve around a protected class. For instance, age discrimination is illegal. Employers can ask someone about their experience in the industry, but they should not ask them exactly how old they are and use it as a guideline for who to hire.
Another example is if an employer asks about someone’s family status, marital status or sexual orientation. Maybe they ask if the person is married, has children or plans to have children in the future. This could raise significant red flags about pregnancy discrimination or other types of gender discrimination.
Similarly, an employer should never ask what religion someone is or if they practice that religion consistently. If an employer is worried that someone will not be able to work on the weekends or over the holidays, they can ask about any scheduling conflicts. But they cannot frame it as a religious question where they may discriminate against someone based on the religion they follow.
What if discrimination occurs?
These lines of questioning should be avoided, but they do happen. Employees who have experienced discrimination need to know what legal options they have at this time.