Interviews can be tricky. You are trying to determine if the candidate has not only the skills and experience you are looking for but also, if they will fit into your company’s culture. While many business leaders realize that there are certain questions that are off limits during an interview, I have heard reports from candidates that the ‘off limits’ topic below were approached during the interview.

If any one of these topics are approached during an interview and a candidate does not get the job, the employer is open to litigation.

There are topics that are illegal to discuss in an interview.

* Race
* Sex/Gender
* Religion
* National origin/Birthplace
* Age
* Disability
* Marital/family status

This means you may not ask direct questions or questions that reference these topics.  For example, you may NOT ask whether a candidate is a US Citizen, where they were born, whether they are married or have children, what year they graduated from high school, what church they attend, etc.

If you have any concerns about what questions are legal, consult an employment attorney or your human resources executive.