During the interview process, you need to take the following into consideration so ensure compliance with EEO law:
Do not ask an applicant:
- Race, national origin, religion, or age
- Marital and family status—including childcare problems
- Contraceptive practices
- Plans to have children
- Height or weight (unless the information is job related)
- Friends or relatives working for The University (preference for friends or relatives of present employees could restrict opportunities for women or minorities)
- Arrest records (since minorities are subject to a higher proportion of arrests that non minorities)
- The applicant's credit rating or other financial data
- Home ownership
- Type of military discharge
do not base your decision on:
- Race or color
- Religion (unless it's a bona fide occupational qualification for the job)
- National origin (unless it's a bona fide occupational qualification for the job)
- Sex (unless it's a bona fide occupational qualification for the job—which, according to the EEOC, is practically never)
- Arrest records
- Garnishment records
- Credit rating
- Negative report by previous employer (unless applicant has opportunity to rebut)
- Marital status
- Children in household
- Pregnancy
- Unwed motherhood
- Height or weight (unless it's a bona fide occupational qualification for the job)
do this:
- Evaluate the applicant as an individual.
- Eliminate any stereotyped ideas based on the applicant's race, religion, national origin, sex, age, or handicap. (Example: Thinking that women have a much higher turnover rate than men—it isn't true.)
- Review specified job requirements and eliminate those that are not really needed to do the job—including unnecessary educational requirements, physical requirements, experience requirements, and skill requirements