Before a job interview, you spend a great deal of time rehearsing responses to common interview questions. No matter how much you prepare, you’ll likely still be asked a few you weren’t anticipating, but that’s only a major problem if these questions cross a certain line.
As a leading temp agency in Las Vegas, PrideStaff Las Vegas knows it’s illegal to ask certain interview questions of a personal nature, but unfortunately, that doesn’t stop some employers. According to the laws enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it’s illegal to discriminate against an applicant — or an employee — because of their race, color, religion, sex — i.e., gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy — national origin, age — 40 or older — disability or genetic information.
If these topics are broached during your interview, don’t feel like you have to be forthcoming.
5 Job Interview Questions You Don’t Have to Answer
Have you ever been arrested?
You might think your arrest record or lack thereof is fair game for employers, but it’s not. Since you’re innocent until proven guilty, you don’t have to answer this one. However, asking if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime is fair game, so you do have to answer that one.
When was the last time you used an illegal drug?
Most employers aren’t keen on hiring people who abuse illegal drugs, but if you’ve since cleaned up your act, this question can unfairly tarnish your reputation. You don’t have to answer it, but if you’re asked if you currently use illegal drugs, you are required to respond to that one.
Are you married?
You might think they’re just being conversational, but digging around to determine your marital status could be a stealthy way to determine how much time you have to commit to work. Consequently, this question is off-limits and you don’t have to answer it.
Do you have children?
It might seem like an innocent question, but you don’t have to answer this question, because your parental status can be held against you. If the employer feels like your family obligations could get in the way of work, this could cause them not to hire you, which is illegal.
Where do you live?
Employers want to hire a reliable employee who won’t have trouble making it to work on time. Therefore, they might ask this question to gauge your commute, but you don’t have to answer it. Your response can be used to discriminate against you, so you only have to answer questions like “Do you have reliable transportation?” and “Are you willing to relocate for the job?”.
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