Innapropriate Interview Question??

The pregnancy Ettiquite, made me see what you views are on this.....

A woman I know on another forum, had a job interview. During the interview she was asked if her and her hubby were planning on starting a family. She replied no, but was upset, as this was a sensitive subject for her, as she cannot have kids. Then they stated that they request female employees to let them know if the plan to start a family prior to actually trying to start a family. This got her even more upset! She left the interview feeling upset, but did not show it, later she was offered the job, but is unsure whether she should take it.

I feel that this line of questioning was way overboard, and that In some areas I know it is illegal to ask such questions! What do you think??

If it was me, I would have stormed out of the office, and told them where to go!!:mad: I would hate to think what would happen if a person working there had an unexpected pregnancy!

That is NOT a proper interview question!

I was asked that once in the 70's - about a PIANO job in a restaurant. The fear is that women will leave the job if and when they do have babies, and they will have to train someone else.

I think if they subsidized daycare, provided it, or even covered maternity leave, they would have less to worry about.

Check here:
http://www.collegegrad.com/ezine/23illega.shtml

From that page:

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It should be noted that just because an illegal question has been asked does not necessarily mean a crime has been committed. Just because the question has [been] asked does not establish intent. It is up to a court of law to determine whether the question or any resulting information was used in a discriminatory manner.

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That's horrible.. terribly uneccisary.

Thats so odd!!!

Weirdo job people..

It is a violation of Federal Law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1991) to ask about pregancy, plans for pregancy or childcare arrangements.

I would be hesitant to accept employment with a company that requires woman (why don't they ask the men too??) about these things. This is not something new in this country and an employer who is not following it is either extremely ignorant of or willfully ignoring this basic of employment law.

That question is about as "legal" as asking someone their age.

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Originally Posted by Catty1

The fear is that women will leave the job if and when they do have babies, and they will have to train someone else.

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Actually it is more than that. It is that the woman will be collecting maternity leave benefits, which costs the company money on the health insurance plan(s) it offers. Meanwhile, they can only hire a temp for the length of the offered maternity leave, as they have to hold the job open for her on her return. And with the possible Federal Family Leave of 12 weeks added on, it could be 6 months of dealing with a temp. Only to have found the temp is a great person they have trained and have to let go; OR the temp is not working out and the woman decides to stay home for a few years so now they are stuck

I think only a small company would be this blatant since it is illegal.

I recall being asked that years ago during a job interview. I felt insulted - :mad: do they ask men if they plan to start families too? They might want paternity leave. I would imagine it's illegal to ask a question like that these days.

It's way out of line to ask that. It's illegal.

This reminds me of a situation we had in one of the places I worked many years ago - around 1981, I think. It was not illegal at that time to ask about intentions to have a family, and when the company was taking on an administrative assistant, they hired the one girl who interviewed, who was not married. They apparently failed to notice that the unmarried girl had been living with her boyfriend for some time, and soon after getting the job she became pregnant. The rest of us giggled about it for some time. :D

I wouldn't care if someone asked me that in an interview.

Yes I realize that woman shouldn't be penalized for wanting to start families or have babies, but I would just shrug it off.

If your friend wanted the job before they asked her those questions, I don't see why she shouldn't want it now.

Can't help but wonder if she had said yes, if she would even have been offered the job. I was never asked that question on any interview I went to.

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Originally Posted by momoffuzzyfaces

Can't help but wonder if she had said yes, if she would even have been offered the job.

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Probably not. I landed some of the best jobs I've ever had while I was
still single so this particular question never came up but, it's still insulting.

They are lucky it wasn't me. I would have started crying, then screaming. They never would dare ask a woman that question again!

I would have refused to answer the question!

OK...
You are the business owner.

You hire the woman, she gets pregger a month later.

You have to provide insurance, a replacement and pay both of the women.

Geez, women want to be treated equal but men haven't figured out how to carry a child.....


It works for seahorses....... ;)

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Many times I have had to assume to duties of a pregnant women.
I have no problem with their pregnancy...I only care when they use it to avoid work. :eek:

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

OK...
You are the business owner.

You hire the woman, she gets pregger a month later.

You have to provide insurance, a replacement and pay both of the women.

Geez, women want to be treated equal but men haven't figured out how to carry a child.....


It works for seahorses....... ;)

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Many times I have had to assume to duties of a pregnant women.
I have no problem with their pregnancy...I only care when they use it to avoid work. :eek:

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It's called discrimination, Richard. You can't ask age, or whether you are married or single, or anything like that. Sexism, ageism.... You cannot discriminate on the basis that a woman might become pregnant, or a man might become a father and the company will have to cover the child then as well under their insurance.

If you are assigned to pick up someone else's duties, it's just that. It doesn't matter what the gender of the person is.

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

OK...
You are the business owner.

You hire the woman, she gets pregger a month later.

You have to provide insurance, a replacement and pay both of the women.

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FMLA and the requirement to preserve job rights only applies to those with more than 50 employees and employees who have at least one year of employment with that employer. You do not have to pay a woman on maternity leave (FMLA does not require it. Here in California the state pays disability...don't spend the $60.00 per week in one place.)

You need a little more...truthiness in your female bashing RICHARD!

FMLA... that's what we have in our school district. We can take our sick days until we run out of them, and then apply for FMLA, which is pittance. FMLA only lasts for a certain amount of weeks, and then you have to take unpaid leave. Then, when you come back, you are only guaranteed a job, not the exact position you had when you left.

[QUOTE
You need a little more...truthiness in your female bashing RICHARD![/QUOTE]

Will Richard bite the bait? Stay tuned~

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Originally Posted by jenn_librarian

FMLA... that's what we have in our school district. We can take our sick days until we run out of them, and then apply for FMLA, which is pittance. FMLA only lasts for a certain amount of weeks, and then you have to take unpaid leave. Then, when you come back, you are only guaranteed a job, not the exact position you had when you left.

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FMLA - Family Medical Leave Act - requires certain employers to provide unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks per year if needed for a serious personal medical condition or to care for a seriously ill family member or to care for a newborn, newly adopted or foster child. You must return to the same or equivalent job upon release.

Believe it or not...any you get over and above that ...such as any employer paid leave...is your employer doing more than the law requires.

It's not an appropriate interview question. Maybe the interviewer didn't realize a line would be crossed by asking.

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

FMLA and the requirement to preserve job rights only applies to those with more than 50 employees and employees who have at least one year of employment with that employer. You do not have to pay a woman on maternity leave (FMLA does not require it. Here in California the state pays disability...don't spend the $60.00 per week in one place.)

You need a little more...truthiness in your female bashing RICHARD!

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Oh shiat,

Crucify me for exaggerating.

After working side by side with women I thought I had learned enough about them to bash with confidence!

What is Truthiness?

Is that like the Loch Ness? :D

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Gini,

Stick it out, I'll chew! :p

:( Yes I do think the question was way out of line & should Not have been ask.. Also in Texas is is illegal to ask that & you can not ask someone if they are pregnant in a interview.. The bean counter here at our company ask that once & the company had to pay the lady $5,000.00..

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Crucify me for exaggerating.

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What a pretty word for it...exaggerating. :rolleyes: Others might call it...untrue? Oh...what might be another word for what you call exaggerating....hmmm....let me think...

And you, who are forever castigating politicians who exaggerate!

I think it's completely inappropriate to ask that (not to mention illegal). I would have refused to answer.

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FMLA... that's what we have in our school district. We can take our sick days until we run out of them, and then apply for FMLA, which is pittance. FMLA only lasts for a certain amount of weeks, and then you have to take unpaid leave. Then, when you come back, you are only guaranteed a job, not the exact position you had when you left.

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I don't even qualify for FMLA since my company is so small (8 employees, one owner). They are, however, giving me 12 weeks off (unpaid, of course). I can use my sick time and vacation time, but after that I get nothing. I don't think I even qualify for short term disability pay. I've just been saving up as much as I can so that the extra money is there.

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

What a pretty word for it...exaggerating. :rolleyes: Others might call it...untrue? Oh...what might be another word for what you call exaggerating....hmmm....let me think...

And you, who are forever castigating politicians who exaggerate!

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I just wanted to show that I can use a word with more than 10 letters. :cool:

"Lying" is so Clintonesque, not to mention easy to spell. :confused:

Rofl

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

"Lying" is so Clintonesque, not to mention easy to spell.

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And so hard to admit! :p :p

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

And so hard to admit! :p :p

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LOL. So true. He has, in my one 30 minute viewing of PT, slandered white collar professionals AND women. Great posting! Wonderful broad sweeps...like a super sized broom that one might use to mop up the ocean, say.

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Originally Posted by Cataholic

LOL. So true. He has, in my one 30 minute viewing of PT, slandered white collar professionals AND women. Great posting! Wonderful broad sweeps...like a super sized broom that one might use to mop up the ocean, say.

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So sue me.

You know I laugh when I people get all BOOS when someone GENERALIZES about their lives.

I have worked with docs and nurses for more than half of my life.

I have done my share of tweaking noses and pinching women's rears.

I am sure that you all can go ahead and fire a few across my bow.
I don't get all persnickety and have to defend myself when someone generalizes about my life.....

Matter of fact I'll give you a freebie here.

Male, Mexican, Single, registered Dem, Vote Republican, Catholic and I have a sense of humor - plus, I do not let Sticks and Stones factor into my life.

If I spent my hours wondering about morons shooting off their mouths, I';d have to kill myself.

If you are so hung up on some jerk with no couth, that lies and can't get his facts straight and posts like a moron-Put me on your ignore list.

Misery loves company and sometimes I have to yank the bloomers down so I can be heard.
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I screw up all the time.

I save my mea culpas for real situations.

John Wayne said it was a sign of weakness to apologize.

Take it up with him.

This is a classic example where tone of voice can't come across!

Anyway, I think the question is 100%, Grade A bogus!

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

So sue me.

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How can I contemplate suing you when I am, apparently, so distraught about the comments made in the tipping thread? LOL...it is all a bunch of word games to me, most of the time.

I don't care that you are wrong, or right, or mexican. Why would I? I am pretty confident of who I am, and would presume others are, too. You included. :p

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

FMLA - Family Medical Leave Act - requires certain employers to provide unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks per year if needed for a serious personal medical condition or to care for a seriously ill family member or to care for a newborn, newly adopted or foster child. You must return to the same or equivalent job upon release.

Believe it or not...any you get over and above that ...such as any employer paid leave...is your employer doing more than the law requires.

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I still think it sucks. I mean, how far behind is our society when it comes to the way women are still treated in the work place. Having to take unpaid leave to give birth to a child... it's just wrong. When I lived in Sweden, the mom and the dad got to split the maternity leave, paid, for a year. Salaries were higher there (but then again so were the taxes). That was about 15-20 years ago, so I have no idea how it has changed, but it was a socialized system, and workers were treated differently, and every one had medical coverage as well. Don't see that happening any time soon in the USA.

Our district definitely takes advantage of putting you back in the "equivalent" job. They will put the screws to you any way they can.

Last year, our superintendent received a 12% raise, and then froze the budget in the entire district so that no supplies, books, or anything could be bought from January until the new fiscal year in July.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is no longer the world leader in women's rights. Along with science, math, health care, life expectancy, etc, etc. :(

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Originally Posted by smokey the elder

Unfortunately, the U.S. is no longer the world leader in women's rights. (

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Perhaps parts of the US lead the way...Montana for example but....