Most of us tend to ask questions that have nothing to do with the job they are trying to fill. Few such questions which we think are basic or OK can form unneccessary prejudices against the interviewee.
These questions can make both the interviewer and the organization appear unprofessional.
Questions that you may legally ask include:
From India, Hyderabad
5These questions can make both the interviewer and the organization appear unprofessional.
Questions that you may legally ask include:
Some questions that are illegal and should not be asked include:
•What is your full name?
•Have you ever worked for the company under a different name?
•Is any additional information relative to a different name necessary to check your work record? If yes, explain.
•How long have you been a resident of this state or city?
•Are you 18 years old or older? This question may be asked only for the purpose of determining whether applicants are of legal age for employment.
•Is your spouse employed by this company?
•Are you legally able to work in India?
•Inquiries into the academic, vocational or professional education of an applicant and public and private schools attended.
•Inquiries into work experience.
•Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Questions about being arrested are not legal.
•Names of your relatives already employed by the company.
•All questions about skills for performing the job.
•What is your nationality?
•Do you have someone to look after your children while you work?
•Do you have any handicaps that would interfere with the job?
•What is your religion?
•How old are you?
•When did you graduate from high school?
•Have you ever been arrested?
•What is your birthplace?
•What is your maiden name?
•Asking for a photograph prior to hire.
•Questions about height or weight.
•Questions about marital status or children.
•Questions about plans of marriage.
•Questions about boyfriends/girlfriends/dating
•Questions about professions and other details of parents/relatives
•Questions about mental or physical health, unless determined to be very essential for the job. (This has to have a formal medical test done)
From India, Hyderabad
Dear Deepthi,
Thank you very much for sharing you expert opinion on the subject.
For our better understanding may I request you to clarify the following points on which ground these would amount to illegal questions.
# What is your birthplace?
# Asking for a photograph prior to hire.
# Questions about marital status or children.
# Questions about professions and other details of parents/relatives
regards
SP
From India, Calcutta
Thank you very much for sharing you expert opinion on the subject.
For our better understanding may I request you to clarify the following points on which ground these would amount to illegal questions.
# What is your birthplace?
# Asking for a photograph prior to hire.
# Questions about marital status or children.
# Questions about professions and other details of parents/relatives
regards
SP
From India, Calcutta
Hi Shubendup,
All these questions are made illegal because they form prejudices and biases which can be favorable/unfavorable to the interviewee and other applicants.
# What is your birthplace? --- the interviewer might favor people from his/her birthplace
# Asking for a photograph prior to hire.-----the recruiter might judge the person's capabilities by how they look or even misuse the applicant's photo
# Questions about marital status or children.---interviewer may not be willing to hire unmarried/married people.
# Questions about professions and other details of parents/relatives----
interviewer might want to either favor the applicant if he/she comes from a reputed background or might form a wrong opinion if its otherwise.
Also, these questions have nothing to do with the job the person is being interviewed for or decide the capabilities of the person. Then why do you want to ask them anyway?
Hope i have cleared your doubts. Lemme know if you need further clarifications...
From India, Hyderabad
All these questions are made illegal because they form prejudices and biases which can be favorable/unfavorable to the interviewee and other applicants.
# What is your birthplace? --- the interviewer might favor people from his/her birthplace
# Asking for a photograph prior to hire.-----the recruiter might judge the person's capabilities by how they look or even misuse the applicant's photo
# Questions about marital status or children.---interviewer may not be willing to hire unmarried/married people.
# Questions about professions and other details of parents/relatives----
interviewer might want to either favor the applicant if he/she comes from a reputed background or might form a wrong opinion if its otherwise.
Also, these questions have nothing to do with the job the person is being interviewed for or decide the capabilities of the person. Then why do you want to ask them anyway?
Hope i have cleared your doubts. Lemme know if you need further clarifications...
From India, Hyderabad
Hi Deepthi,
Thanks for the info. But are not these questions (most of them) being asked in any personal / HR interview after u clear the technical part? Also i feel that we should not be reading too much into the questions like looking for prejudices & preferences of the interviewer. I mean what prejudice would he have in knowing the "height & weight" & "maiden name" of the interviewee?
Regards
Govans
From India, Madras
Thanks for the info. But are not these questions (most of them) being asked in any personal / HR interview after u clear the technical part? Also i feel that we should not be reading too much into the questions like looking for prejudices & preferences of the interviewer. I mean what prejudice would he have in knowing the "height & weight" & "maiden name" of the interviewee?
Regards
Govans
From India, Madras
Asking maiden name of the candidate is an indirect question to know whether the person is married or unmarried and may cause the decision to be biased. As long as the candidate demonstrates commitment, these personal things should not have a consideration and are therefore considered inappropriate (illegal in some forums) questions to ask.
Regarding height and weight, personal or aesthetic attributes of a person are offensive to most people and are not necessarily relevant to a candidate's ability to do even a physical labor job. A direct question instead may be asked - "Are you able to lift boxes weighing up to 50 lbs?"
Trust the above helps. Thanks.
From India, Hyderabad
Regarding height and weight, personal or aesthetic attributes of a person are offensive to most people and are not necessarily relevant to a candidate's ability to do even a physical labor job. A direct question instead may be asked - "Are you able to lift boxes weighing up to 50 lbs?"
Trust the above helps. Thanks.
From India, Hyderabad
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List of questions.doc
CTC_SALARY_SLIP _FORM_(legal)(1 ).xls