Illegal interview questions

[dakcp2001]

Yesterday I had a job interview at a major hospital. The interviewer commented on my engagment ring, asked when the wedding was and how much time I would need off for it. This seemed reasonable. She then asked how soon I planned to get pregnant and how many small children I currently had. I responded that there were no current plans for a wedding and that I have no children and no plans to have any at the moment. She then went on a tirade about how childcare issues are always causing her a hassle in her department, and how 2 new hires had gone out on maternity leave right after starting and how she thought that was an unproffesional thing to do. I was sort of horrified by this woman. She is the department head, not HR.

These questions are illegal am I right? Is there somewhere I should report this? BTW I have no intention of accepting any position working for this dreadful woman.

 

[MsLeFever]

Sounds pretty dang illegal to me - and yup - if you aren't planning to take any offered job anyay you should certainly report her to HR!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I would put the details in writing and report her to their HR department. Any questions regarding marital status and family/family plans are not cool...

 

[Miniefan]

I don't know the answer but in my mind it sort of screams discrimination. Back in Fl I went for an interview and then had to proceed through a whole bunch of weird testing processes and then was told them would be in touch, I never really interviewed with anyone, just the odd testing.

I went home and started looking things from the test up, and found out that it was made by Scientology and based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. Very very odd and probably illegal but I didn't really pursue anything about it because after asking some of my colleagues, I found out that particular doctor is a whack job so I just didn't worry when I got the letter from their office saying they had decided to go another way, but it was probably discrimination too. It irks me when I think about it.

Kim

 

[dakcp2001]

This was a second interview too, the first was a standard HR interview. This was with teh dept head. It was the first time I ever wanted to flee from the room during an interview. She was a total troll. I cant imagine having her as a boss.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I used to work for an afterschool program and the director asked me to sit in on an interview with her. She asked the interviewee if she was taking antidepressants! OMG - I think I stopped breathing for a minute or so. I know my whole body froze. The woman just said, no, she didn't have a need for them.

 

[minniecarousel]

I was the sole X-ray Technician for a small radiology office. Both of my sons were born while I worked for this group of doctors. When I let them know that I'd be leaving to be a SAHM, one of them joked - "let's find someone who's past child-bearing age". Oh, they found her - and less than a year later, she needed time off for a hysterectomy.

Of course, this was in 1984, so laws have changed. But I would certainly report her to the hospital's HR Dept, at the very least.

 

[undertheradar]

You are trying to get a job, correct? Instead of looking to cause problems, concentrate on what you learn from these interviews. It would seem likely that offices in your field communicate and you could lessen your chances for hire elsewhere. Just my 2 cents worth and I would forget about it.

 

[Cindy B]

Leave the engagement ring at home when you interview. That would solve many issues.

 

[Pakey]

I'm an executive in a mid sized company and we'd certainly want to know if these types of questions were being asked at interviews. The last thing we'd want is any type of claim regarding unfair hiring practices.

I can't believe anyone would have asked these types of questions. Even the comment about getting married would not have been asked in that way. We might have asked "do you have anything in the next xx months planned that would require you to require time away from work" but it wouldn't have went any further.

I'm over the maternity leave comments.

 

[PinkPrincess1908]

dakcp2001, I really hate that you had such an awkward and awful experience. I recently finished up a degree in HR mgmt and according to everything that I have learned those questions are definitely illegal. I'm in GA but I would think each state would have laws against such questions. Ironically I had a job interview today and actually took my engagement ring off and slipped into my purse before entering the building because in a previous position I remember hearing a manager stating she hates to hire people that are engaged or pregnant because she knows they will need to "take excessive time off". It's sad that there is a need to hide an engagement on a job interview but it seems to be the way things are. I think you should report the incident to someone in HR so that this does not continue. Good luck with your job search

 

[DWGal210]

Yep, OP, your gut instinct is right. I have interviewed quite a few people for our company over the years and that's for sure on the top of the list of "you don't dare ask" questions. It's one thing (although still not good, IMO), to think to yourself, "I see she's clearly expecting, I think I'll keep looking for another employee" but actually saying what amounts to that, no dice, no good.

I might be inclined to let their HR know. It seems from your post that it's a large place; her bosses would probably appreciate knowing that she's asking those questions. It might save them some headaches down the road and they might be grateful to you.

 

[ilovejack02]

My father was head of HR for a large company for about 40 years. We have had many discussions on this subject, these are questions they should never ask as it opens them up to lawsuits. Illegal, I don't know , stupid , yes . : )

 

[wdwiala]

I don't know the answer but in my mind it sort of screams discrimination. Back in Fl I went for an interview and then had to proceed through a whole bunch of weird testing processes and then was told them would be in touch, I never really interviewed with anyone, just the odd testing.

I went home and started looking things from the test up, and found out that it was made by Scientology and based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. Very very odd and probably illegal but I didn't really pursue anything about it because after asking some of my colleagues, I found out that particular doctor is a whack job so I just didn't worry when I got the letter from their office saying they had decided to go another way, but it was probably discrimination too. It irks me when I think about it.

Kim

I've taken this test. I worked for less than a year at a medical office. They ran the entire office on the Scientology system. No one was hired unless you passed it.

After our out of town 2 night conference revolved around these teachings, I quit. It contradicted my own religious practices and I found it very unprofessional.

 

[Cat0727]

leave the engagement ring at home when you interview. That would solve many issues.

ita.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Completely illegal.

Now if you volunteered the information that is one thing--but them probing and asking and then commenting on how uncool it was (via their present employee issues) is what made it illegal.

 

[pearlieq]

You are trying to get a job, correct? Instead of looking to cause problems, concentrate on what you learn from these interviews. It would seem likely that offices in your field communicate and you could lessen your chances for hire elsewhere. Just my 2 cents worth and I would forget about it.

All this does is clear the way for them to continue discriminating against mothers. Things like this persist, in part, because good people don't speak up.

Unless this job opportunity is the last thing standing between the OP and the shelter (which is doesn't sound like) she's got an opportunity to do some good here.

Sounds like the only thing the OP needed to "learn" from this interview was how awful this department head is. She dodged a bullet there! Maybe offices in the field do communicate, but it's just as likely they all think this woman is an awful troll as well.

The HR department or hospital administrator needs to know what's going on in these interviews before this woman causes a real problem. Not only is she costing the hospital the opportunity to hire good talent like the OP, but she's leaving them wide open for a lawsuit.

 

[onelilspark]

I'm surprised at the people saying to leave the engagement ring at home...really? I went to an interview a month after I got engaged. At the end of the interview, I made sure to ask about vacation time because we had already booked the date and were this close || to booking the honeymoon. ...I got the job.

I wouldn't want to be at place that would be ready to discriminate against me because I was about to get married! How ridiculous.

OP--if I were you, I'd definitely let the HR person know.

 

[BELLE1109]

As an HR Manager I am !!!
Was this an HR person asking you these questions? (not that it matters I am just stunned by the lack of education)
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits an employer from making hiring decisions based on pregnancy or prejudice against pregnancy from co-workers or clients.
The fact that they even dared ask you these questions sets up an EEOC case against them!

If you believe that you will get the job, I would wait to mention this to the HR Manager until after you have an offer. If you do not get the job, call the EEOC.
The questions you were asked are discriminatory to women.

 

[DVCLiz]

You are trying to get a job, correct? Instead of looking to cause problems, concentrate on what you learn from these interviews. It would seem likely that offices in your field communicate and you could lessen your chances for hire elsewhere. Just my 2 cents worth and I would forget about it.

Leave the engagement ring at home when you interview. That would solve many issues.

ita.

Are you all kidding?? These questions are completely ILLEGAL to ask.
So she should just take off her ring and hope the department head doesn't talk to anyone else in hiring in the area? That's really a better solution than going above this woman's head and getting her fired - which she certainly should be - for her complete unprofessional and illegal interview questions?

Wow, maybe you think she should just find a male department head and sleep with him to get the job - that's the same kind of thinking as far as I'm concerned.