Which question is illegal to ask a job applicant?

Which question is illegal to ask a job applicant?

• A. Do you have children
• B. What are your 5 year employment goals
• C. Why do you want to work here
• D. Why did you leave your previous employment

Answer: (A)

In this topic, the focus is on which interview questions respect equal opportunity rules. Asking about whether you have children targets family status and can reveal or imply pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, or gender-based assumptions. Protected characteristics like pregnancy or family status are off-limits in hiring because they can be used to discriminate, and federal and state laws (such as anti-discrimination statutes and EEOC guidelines) prohibit questions that probe these areas. The question about having children is the one that crosses that line, making it illegal to ask in an interview. The other questions concentrate on job relevance—long-term goals, why you want to work there, and why you left a previous job—which helps assess fit, motivation, and experience without touching protected status.

In this topic, the focus is on which interview questions respect equal opportunity rules. Asking about whether you have children targets family status and can reveal or imply pregnancy, caregiving responsibilities, or gender-based assumptions. Protected characteristics like pregnancy or family status are off-limits in hiring because they can be used to discriminate, and federal and state laws (such as anti-discrimination statutes and EEOC guidelines) prohibit questions that probe these areas.

The question about having children is the one that crosses that line, making it illegal to ask in an interview. The other questions concentrate on job relevance—long-term goals, why you want to work there, and why you left a previous job—which helps assess fit, motivation, and experience without touching protected status.