Audra:

You can have a problem from the employer's side also, if one of the
interview panel steps out of line.

Some years ago, as Director of an English arts & museums service, I was
interviewing for a senior curator position, with the board chair (an
elected local councillor) chairing the interview panel of 4.  Despite
training and briefing sessions on the Equal Opportunities law and
policies, the Chair started asking the first candidate (female, in
her late 20s or early 30s) about her current and prospective family
ambitions and her child-care arrangements etc. After some strong words
among the panel as soon as that interview was ended, we decided that -
using the detailed written notes I was keeping of what had happened, I
should address exactly the same questions to the other three candidates -
all male - at the same point in the interview.

Afterwards we apologised to the woman candidate and explained what we had
done to try to correct things, and we also explained to the male
candidates why we had asked them the improper questions.

This was far from satisfactory, but fortunately all four accepted the
explanation and apologies, and took no further action.


Patrick Boylan

=============================

On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Audra Oliver wrote:

> Ah, yes. The improper and/or illegal question.  And just what is an
> applicant to do about it?  Answer as best and tactfully as they can.  I
> remember after I got one job, I did let another group know that their
> application form needed to be amended to avoid difficulties.  In retrospect,
> I doubt that they appreciated the information a great deal.
> I'm not sure that knowing that the question is illegal is particularly
> helpful from the applicant's point of view.  On the other hand, it's
> valuable from the employer's standpoint.

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