Interviewing Job Applicants

Additional HR Resources The Plus of "Us" DVD-based diversity training for employees and supervisors creates healthy workplace Interviewing for the Best How to structure and conduct interviews that uncover the facts you need Interviewing for Supervisors Interviewing strategies for savvy supervisors: finding "real" candidates Legal and Successful Hiring The knowledge you need to hire confidently, fairly, and legally Screening Secrets Recruiting, screening and interviewing secrets for HR Managing the Millennial Workforce Learn how to recruit and retain new Gen Y talent Social Media Virtual Summit Learn legally sounds tactics to attract and retain talent in this extended web seminar Hiring Dangers for Supervisors Help your supervisors hire the best, without inviting costly litigation Hiring Basics for Supervisors How to avoid asking legally dangerous questions in an interview Hiring for Executives Interview secrets that really work, and other hiring tips

The potential for liability at the interview stage in the hiring process is tremendous. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal and state laws, it’s illegal to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, and age. Some states have even more protected categories, such as sexual orientation and marital status.

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Consequently, any question — regardless of the interviewer’s intent — on any of those topics should be avoided to ensure that an inference of discrimination isn't raised when an applicant is rejected. A stray comment by the interviewer that offends an applicant can spell big trouble.

HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 topics, including hiring

Here are some do's and don'ts for successful interviewing and avoiding legal trouble.

Interview do's
Provide training to the employees who will be conducting interviews. In addition to guidance on how to conduct interviews, employees who will be interviewing job candidates should be informed about the appropriate subjects for inquiry and topics to avoid.

Ask the same questions of all interviewees. By asking the same questions of all applicants, you can avoid a claim that any one particular individual was singled out because of a protected characteristic.

Limit questions to job-related areas. Interview questions should focus on the education, experience, and abilities of the applicant and her suitability for the position.

Maintain detailed, careful notes. Notes taken during the interview should be objective, detailed, factual, and concise. Avoid gratuitous comments unrelated to the applicant's experience and qualifications for the position. Always keep in mind that notes created during the interview process can and will be provided to the applicant if a lawsuit is filed later.

Audio Conference CD: Behavioral Interviewing: HR's Essential New Tool for Selecting the Right Employee

Interview don'ts
Avoid promises. An interviewer shouldn't make any promises. Simple comments about the hiring process or job security may later bind the employer.

Avoid questions or comments about an applicant's disability. Don't ask about medical conditions, past hospitalizations, past medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment. Don't ask about prescription drugs or medications or the number of days he was sick during his previous employment. You may, however, legitimately ask about his general history of absences. You may ask whether he's able to perform the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, when he has an obvious disability or when all applicants are asked the same exact question. Also, if an applicant's disability is obvious or he volunteers that he has a disability and you reasonably believe an accommodation will be needed, you may ask him if he needs a reasonable accommodation.

Avoid questions or comments about an applicant's history of workers' comp injuries. Don't ask an applicant whether she previously was injured on the job. Don't ask an applicant whether she previously filed a workers' comp claim.

Avoid questions or comments about an applicant's race, national origin, age, religion, military status, gender, marital status, physical attributes, or sexual orientation. Don't ask whether English is an applicant's first language. If fluency in a particular language is a required job responsibility, however, you may inquire about an applicant's ability to speak, read, and write the language. In addition, you should avoid questions or comments about pregnancy, family plans, number of children, and child-care arrangements.

Avoid questions or comments about an applicant's arrests. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) takes the position that such inquiries have a disparate impact on minorities. If relevant to a particular position, you may investigate an applicant's criminal convictions.

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Related articles on Interviewing featured in HR Hero Line

• 11 Ways to for Supervisors to Avoid Workplace Lawsuits
  (South Carolina Employment Law Letter, January 2010)
• Behavioral Interviewing: Getting the Best Answers From Job Applicants
  (Vermont Employment Law Letter, October 2009)
• Tips for HR to manage an overload of resumes and avoid legal issues
  (Mississippi Employment Law Letter, April 2009)
• Video Technology Changing Interviewing Process
  (HR Insight, March 2008)
• Quick Hiring Decisions Can Backfire on Employers
  (Alabama Employment Law Letter, October 2007)
• The Ins and Outs of the Interview
  (Vermont Employment Law Letter, May 2007)

HR Tools for Interviewing

• Sample Policy - Authorization to Hire
• Sample Policy - Preemployment Drug Screens
• Sample Policy - Background Checks
• Sample Policy - New Employee Orientation