When interviewing potential employees, managers should frame questions and pose situational scenarios that are performance focused. But questions must follow federal guidelines as set out by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any time a manager undertakes an employment interview, he or she must be certain about what can and cannot be asked and said in such pre-employment interviews. Below is a partial list of lines of inquiry that can and cannot be explored in such interviews.
You CAN:
Ask about previous employment including job performance
But you CANNOT:
Ask about marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation
You CAN:
Ask whether the individual can meet the work schedule and attendance requirements
But you CANNOT:
Ask about the individual’s partner, the partner’s employment, or child care arrangements
You CAN:
Ask for date of birth and proof of age
But you CANNOT:
Show preference for younger people in hiring
You CAN:
Ask about training and experience in the U.S. military
But you CANNOT:
Ask about reasons for military discharge or request copies of discharge papers
You CAN:
Ask how long the applicant plans to stay on the job or about any expected absences
But you CANNOT:
Ask direct questions about previous or possible future pregnancies
You CAN:
Ask for names of job references
But you CANNOT:
Ask about the origin of a name or anything about a name that would reveal its owner’s marital status
You CAN:
Ask about height or weight if it is a job requirement
But you CANNOT:
Ask about height or weight if there is no job requirement
You CAN:
Ask whether the individual can be cleared to work lawfully in this country and can provide proof of this after hiring
But you CANNOT:
Request a photograph before hiring
You CAN:
Request address where the individual can be contacted
But you CANNOT:
Ask with whom the individual is living or whether the individual owns or rents his or her home
For more information on best practices for conducting interviews, and the federal guidelines, visit www.healthpropress.com/sperry2.
This post was adapted from Becoming an Effective Leader in Healthcare Management: The 12 Essential Skills, Second Edition by Len Sperry, M.D., Ph.D., Copyright © 2017 by Health Professions Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Becoming an Effective Leader in Healthcare Management
The 12 Essential Skills
Second Edition
By Len Sperry, M.D., Ph.D.
Copyright © 2017 by Health Professions Press, Inc.
Learn and master the 12 critical interpersonal, financial, and organizational healthcare management skills with this practical guide from a seasoned healthcare manager.