雇主面试要注意，问这5个问题算违法
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求职者哪怕准备再充分，面试时也可能紧张不安。招聘经理固然是面试的主导，但也有可能把握不好，踩到禁忌问题的红线。有些问题求职者真的无需回答，有时根本不必回答。
“即使是训练有素的招聘经理和面试官，有时也会提出一些法律不允许提的问题。”芝加哥人力资源律师查尔斯•克鲁格尔表示。
美国国会1964年通过的《公民权利法案》，“禁止基于种族、肤色、宗教、性和国籍出身采取就业歧视。”作为求职者，一旦有迹象表明可能遭到不公对待，你应该立刻识别。记住，以下五种面试问题都是违反法律的。
“你在身体或者精神方面有没有残障？”
为何问题违法：《美国残疾人法案》（ADA）规定，用人机构歧视身体残疾但可以胜任工作的应聘者或员工是违法行为。员工人数超过15名的私人雇主，州政府和地方政府都必须遵守ADA规定。
需要指出的是，虽然ADA禁止用人机构在决定录用员工以前提出歧视性问题，但发送入职邀约后可以询问残疾相关的问题，前提是，所有同类型工作的求职者都要回答相同问题，不是只针对有明显残障的求职者。
同类禁问问题：
• “你现在服用什么处方药？”
• “你有没有因为精神方面的问题看过病？”
“你打算什么时候生孩子？”
为何问题违法：联邦政府法律禁止性别歧视。也就是说，用人机构不能因为性别歧视求职者。
律师事务所Nilan Johnson Lewis的劳动法律师丽莎•施密德说，招聘经理可能只是担心求职者能否胜任工作，比如有的岗位需要员工出差或者加班。如果是这种情况，面试官可以直接向求职者提出有关工作职责的问题。比如这份工作需要每个月出差五天，你有没有什么困难？
同类禁问问题：
• “你现在怎么带孩子？”
• “如果怀孕了会作何打算？”
“过宗教性节日的时候，你需不需要放假？”
为何问题违法：法律禁止宗教歧视，所以用人单位不得基于求职者的宗教信仰、习俗或者活动决定是否录用。
同类禁问问题：
• “你信奉什么宗教？”
• “你属于哪个教堂？”
“你来自哪个国家？”
为何问题违法：联邦政府禁止歧视求职者的原始国籍。因此，用人单位不能基于求职者来自哪个国家或者是隶属哪个民族决定是否录用。
同类禁问问题：
• “你是哪个民族的？”
• “你讲话口音很重，你是哪国人？”
“你多久参加一次陆军预备役训练？”
为何问题违法：因为联邦政府保护服兵役的权力。用人公司不得基于求职者以往、现在或者未来服兵役或履行军事义务而决定是否录用。
同类禁问问题：
• “你会不会很快应招入伍？”
• “你从军队复员属于哪种类型？”
假如面试官提出违反法律规定的问题，你的反应取决于令你不适的程度。你可以只回答“这不影响我做好工作”，然后不再多说。如果感觉用人公司实在过分，你完全有权停止面试起身离开。如果你特别需要那份工作，决然离开确实有点难。但换个角度想，你真的希望在一家存在歧视的公司工作吗？
本文的用意并不是提供专业的法律意见。读者若有任何法律问题，还请咨询律师，请律师给出专业建议。（财富中文网） 本文首发于求职网站Monster.com。
译者:Pessy
审校：夏林
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Job interviews can make even the most prepared candidates uncomfortable. But although the hiring manager is in the driver’s seat, there’s a chance they’ll make a wrong turn and ask a question that is off limits—a question that you don’t have to answer, and sometimes definitely shouldn’t.
“Even trained hiring managers and recruiters sometimes ask illegal questions,” says Charles Krugel, an HR attorney in Chicago.
The Civil Rights Act of l964 “prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.” As a job seeker, you want to be able to spot red flags that could indicate you’re not being treated fairly. These five interview questions are illegal for potential employers to ask you.
“Do you have any physical or mental disabilities?”
Why it’s illegal: The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) says it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee with a disability. Private employers with 15 or more employees, as well as state and local government employers, must abide by the ADA.
Note that that the ADA prohibits employers from asking discriminatory questions before making a job offer; after a job offer has been extended, employers are permitted to ask questions about disabilities as long as they ask the same questions of other applicants offered the same type of job, not just applicants with an obvious disability.
Similar off-limit questions:
• “What prescription drugs are you currently taking?”
• “Have you ever been treated for mental health problems?”
“When are you planning to have children?”
Why it’s illegal: Sex is a federally protected class, which means an employer cannot discriminate against a male or female job applicant.
A hiring manager simply may have concerns about the applicant’s ability to perform the job duties (such as travel or work overtime), says Lisa Schmid, employment law attorney at Nilan Johnson Lewis. If that’s the case, the interviewer needs to ask the candidate directly about job-related responsibilities (e.g. “This job requires five days of travel per month. Do you have any restrictions that would prevent you from doing that?”).
Similar off-limit questions:
• “What kind of childcare arrangements do you have in place?”
• “What are your plans if you get pregnant?”
“Will you need time off for religious holidays?”
Why it’s illegal: Religious discrimination is prohibited, so employers are barred from basing hiring decisions on a person’s religious beliefs, observances, or practices.
Similar off-limit questions:
• “What is your religious affiliation?”
• “What church do you belong to?”
“What country are you from?”
Why it’s illegal: National origin is a federally protected class. Consequently, employers cannot base hiring decisions on whether an applicant is from a different country or of a specific ethnicity.
Similar off-limit questions:
• “What is your nationality?”
• “You have a strong accent. Where are you from?”
“How often are you deployed for Army Reserve training?”
Why it’s illegal: Because military status is a federally protected class, companies cannot make employment decisions based on a job candidate’s past, current, or future military membership or service.
Similar off-limit questions:
• “Will you be deployed any time soon?”
• “What type of discharge did you receive from the military?”
If you happen to be in a situation where an interviewer asks you an illegal question, how you respond is entirely based on your comfort level. You could simply state, “That doesn’t affect my ability to perform the duties of this job,” and leave it at that. Or, if you feel the potential employer has crossed a line, you have every right to end the interview and leave. Granted, this is a difficult thing to do if you really want or need the job, but on the flipside, would you really want to work for someone who indicates a bias?
This article is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice. Always seek the professional advice of an attorney regarding any legal questions you may have.
This article originally appeared on Monster.com. |
