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OK, everyone, put your links down and listen to me:
Legal or not, people will ask those questions. The real question is, How should you answer them?
First, as to "How old are you?" you can simply say, "I'm between the ages of 18 and 65." If they follow up, you can then ask, "I'd be pleased to tell you my age if you can first tell me why that's relevant."
And as to all sorts of other questions, the "relevance" thing is the way to go.
I was once asked by a very well-known, prominent head-hunter what year I graduated from college. I should have asked the "relevant' question; instead, I answered. The phone interview ended very shortly after that.
I think they sometimes ask those questions because they're ignorant, but sometime I think they ask them because they want to see if you'll have the b@ll$ to push back.
Although state and federal equal opportunity laws do not clearly forbid employers from making pre-employment inquiries that relate to, or disproportionately screen out members based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or age, such inquiries may be used as evidence of an employer's intent to discriminate unless the questions asked can be justified by some business purpose.
Therefore, inquiries about organizations, clubs, societies, and lodges of which an applicant may be a member or any other questions, which may indicate the applicant's race, sex, national origin, disability status, age, religion, color or ancestry if answered, should generally be avoided.
[quote=Yellow Saltbox;33053147]OK, everyone, put your links down and listen to me:
Legal or not, people will ask those questions. The real question is, How should you answer them?
First, as to "How old are you?" you can simply say, "I'm between the ages of 18 and 65." If they follow up, you can then ask, "I'd be pleased to tell you my age if you can first tell me why that's relevant."
Oh yeah, you will really get the job by coming off as confrontational. I don't see the big deal about being asked your age, after all, most applications ask you to fill out your SS number and DOB.
When someone is interviewing your for a position they are looking for more than qualifications. They are trying to determine if you will be a good fit into the company and that might include things like how well you play with others. If you come across as someone who gets upset at mundane questions like how old you are, you probably will be a problem when bigger issues come up.
And people wonder why they can't find jobs today ! You can ask me any question you want, why should I care, I want the job.
OK, everyone, put your links down and listen to me:
Legal or not, people will ask those questions. The real question is, How should you answer them?
First, as to "How old are you?" you can simply say, "I'm between the ages of 18 and 65." If they follow up, you can then ask, "I'd be pleased to tell you my age if you can first tell me why that's relevant."
Oh yeah, you will really get the job by coming off as confrontational. I don't see the big deal about being asked your age, after all, most applications ask you to fill out your SS number and DOB.
When someone is interviewing your for a position they are looking for more than qualifications. They are trying to determine if you will be a good fit into the company and that might include things like how well you play with others. If you come across as someone who gets upset at mundane questions like how old you are, you probably will be a problem when bigger issues come up.
And people wonder why they can't find jobs today ! You can ask me any question you want, why should I care, I want the job.
Don
Given age discirminaiton that exists, asking someone's age is hardly a "mudane" question. Unless there is a bona fide occupational reason for it (like asking if you are over 18), then there is no reason to ask someone's age.
Also, most applications do not ask for someone's SSN and DOB; a minority of them do, and those are usually the low wage service sector that do. An employer should only ask these items after an offer is made, and an applicant should only give this stuff when an offer is made. ID theft is rampant now days, and an SSN and DOB are some essential items an ID theif needs. There is no reason an employer needs this stuff before an offer is made, though no law against asking.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mommytwingle
Although state and federal equal opportunity laws do not clearly forbid employers from making pre-employment inquiries that relate to, or disproportionately screen out members based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or age, such inquiries may be used as evidence of an employer's intent to discriminate unless the questions asked can be justified by some business purpose.
Therefore, inquiries about organizations, clubs, societies, and lodges of which an applicant may be a member or any other questions, which may indicate the applicant's race, sex, national origin, disability status, age, religion, color or ancestry if answered, should generally be avoided.
Exactly. You can ask the questions, but it's not very smart. What's illegal is only discrimination.
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I don't see the big deal about being asked your age, after all, most applications ask you to fill out your SS number and DOB.
