What questions should NOT be on your employment application?
An employment application should not include any questions that will produce a response that would indicate an applicant’s protected class such as age, race, national origin, disability, etc. 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 of the employer.
It’s important to note that Information needed to conduct background checks should be obtained on a separate form authorizing the employer to conduct the check.
Some common inquiries to avoid on your application are:
Birth dates: Making inquiries about an applicant’s birth date can give the perception that the employer is using age as a decision-making factor in the hiring process. If federal law or the employer’s state law requires a minimum age for employment for certain occupations, then the employer can ask applicants if they are at least the minimum age required for employment.
Graduation dates: Making inquiries of an applicant’s school graduation date can reveal an applicant’s age. To obtain information on whether an applicant holds a degree or a diploma, the employer can simply ask if the applicant has graduated and what degree was obtained.
Military discharge information: Questions that are relevant to work experience and training received are permissible. However, an employer should not ask an applicant the reason he or she was discharged from the military or request to see military discharge papers, except when directly related to the job or to determine veteran’s preference.
Race inquiries: An applicant’s race or color should not be asked on an employment application. Some employers may track their applicants’ race for affirmative action plans or compliance with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, but this should be done apart from an application. This information is not used in the selection process and is voluntary for the applicant.
Citizenship: Inquiries about an individual’s citizenship or county of birth are prohibited and can be perceived as discrimination on the basis the individual’s national origin. An employer can inquire if an applicant is legally eligible to work in the United States and inform the applicant that proof of his or her eligibility to work in the United States must be provided if selected for hire.
Maiden name, Miss, Mrs. and Ms.: Many states prohibit marital status discrimination, making any questions related to that status possible evidence of discriminatory hiring practices.
Social Security number: Although asking applicants for their Social Security numbers is not unlawful, requesting this information from applicants is not recommended due to identity theft and privacy concerns. Employers do not need this information until it is time to run a background check or complete a W-4; therefore, including it on an application carries unnecessary risk.
Salary History: Some states prohibit an employer from requesting salary history information from candidates. These laws are designed to promote greater pay equality by forcing employers to develop salary offers based on job requirements and market pay levels.