Did discrimination play a part in your job interview?

If you have landed an interview for what you think could be your dream job, you likely feel nervous and excited. You believe you have the qualifications and experience necessary to allow you to obtain the position and do well in it. You may also feel that the time and effort you have put into working toward this goal will pay off if you land the job.

Of course, you may have some hesitations as well. In the past, you may have been treated unfairly because of your race, religion, gender or another characteristic. If so, you may have concerns that a prospective employer will pass you over for an open position due to that characteristic.

Discrimination in the hiring process

Unfortunately, employment discrimination can take place before an employer even hires you. However, you may want to keep in mind that discrimination even at this stage is against the law. As a result, you may want to pay attention during your interview to determine whether the employer asked you any potentially discriminatory questions, such as those relating to the following:

• Your religion
• Your age
• Whether you have a disability
• Your marital status
• Your race
• Your citizenship status
• Your use of drugs or alcohol
• Whether you have children or intend to have children

In some instances, you may need to bring up one of the listed topics because it could affect your job performance. For example, if you have a disability for which you need an accommodation, you may want to ask about how you could request an accommodation. While the employer can ask questions and discuss the subject with you, he or she should not probe you for unnecessary information regarding the matter.

Addressing discrimination

If you believe that something felt off about your interview, such as the employer asking you unnecessary questions or seeming unnecessarily hostile toward you, you may have concerns. At first, you may brush off those concerns, but if you later find you did not obtain the position, you may suspect that discrimination came into play.

If so, you may want to look into the matter further. Because discrimination is illegal even during the hiring process, you may have reason to reach out to a California employment law attorney. This legal professional can listen to your concerns, assess your situation and determine whether taking legal action suits the circumstances. Having such information may help you decide the best course of action for handling the matter.