All employees in the United States have rights in the workplace which cannot be violated by their employer. These rights, like the right to not be discriminated against, extend to prospective employees during the interview process.
To stay clear of violating an individual’s rights and potentially facing a lawsuit, employers must
There are a number of classes that are considered protected under Federal Law. In some cases, protected classes
Some state laws will apply more than federal laws. For example, most federal discrimination laws apply only to companies with 15 or more employees, while
There are certain topics that employers must stay away from during the hiring process. Employers must adhere to these rules and abide by the state and federal anti-discrimination laws at each stage of the hiring process, through the employment of the employee, and ended upon their termination. The hiring process itself includes the placing of a job advertisement and extends through interviews until the final selection of the candidate to be hired.
The following topics may lead to the presumption that the applicant could be discriminated against during the hiring process. These questions include asking about any of the following:
It is not enough for an employer to merely avoid asking these questions directly. They must also be careful to avoid doing so indirectly. For instance, an employer may know to avoid directly ask a prospective employee their age, however, the question "when did you graduate high school?" would be an indirect way of asking the same thing. Similarly, asking an applicant if they have availability to work on weekends could be perceived as a proxy question for finding out if they observe religious traditions. In these examples, neither the direct or indirect questions are acceptable.
If any of these topics are brought up by the employer during a job interview, an applicant can raise an objection or decline to answer the question. Sometimes the applicant may offer up this information voluntarily, even without
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), exceptions can be made if the questions
If the applicant feels their rights have been violated by the employer during any stage of the interview process, they may have an Employment Law case and the opportunity to seek remedy.
The Ticktin Law Group works with both employers and employees in Employment and Labor Law Matters. Whether you are an employer that is unfairly facing litigation or an individual whose rights have been violated by an employer, it's best to contact a knowledgeable Employment Law attorney. The Ticktin Law Group offers complimentary consultations to assess your case and determine your options and remedies. To schedule a consultation, call (561) 232-2222 or complete our convenient contact form here.
