To think this isn't an acceptable interview question?

[louloutheshamed]

A female colleague was asked in an interview for a high profile role whether or not having two young children would affect her ability to do the job. This makes Me so cross, and I want to encourage my colleague to challenge the interviewer about it, especially as man in our workplace was recently appointed to a Similarly demanding role, and also has children the same age as my colleague's. I highly doubt that he was asked that question!

They really shouldn't ask this, should they??

L

[Numberlock]

How did that answer go down?

By the way I ask everyone I interview if they are happy to travel at very short notice, even same day. It doesn't suit everyone whether or not its due to child care issues.

Unfortunately I've had to go through the disciplinary procedure for someone who refused to travel, despite it being part of the contract.

[FJL203]

By coincidence this is on the Independent's website atm. It offers an interesting response to a lot of the points put on here.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/the-myth-of-the-modern-dad-exposed-new-book-claims-men-still-wont-sacrifice-their-careers-for-fatherhood-8622285.html

[Numberlock]

Tell me something I don't know.

[itsaruddygame]

I employ a mainly female workforce (not because I don't want to employ men - it is just a female dominated industry and the at majority of job applicants tend to be female) and frankly I don't see why I should not be able to ask the question.

In my experience (rightly or wrongly) it does tend to be mums taking time off with poorly children or other child care problems and very few of my employees have partners that step up to the plate when the child is poorly. Our business involves caring for vulnerable people and unplanned absence is major issue - I need to ask these sorts of questions and don't see why people have such a problem with it. I would also ask male applicants (though rarely get them!) and do have some divorced dads on the team that can have similar issues.

I think child care issues are relevant to a persons ability to carry out some roles and as such should be openly disused (and I say this as a mother!).

[hackmum]

Apart from being illegal, it's a stupid question. Who's going to say, "Damn you, you're right, my children are always falling ill and forcing me to take time off work as I haven't made any arrangements for someone to look after them. What is more, I'm such a ditsy female that I'm always thinking about my kids when I should be concentrating on work"?

[itsaruddygame]

It is not a stupid question - it's a relevant question. I seriously think people should get over it. I have had employees that rarely let me down because they have arrangements in place to deal with, for example, minor illnesses in their children (that exclude them from organised childcare). This is particularly important for SME's without huge resources to draw on and for businesses in sectors where unplanned absence can cause major operational difficulties/risks to the business.

I am not sexist - I employ a lot of bright and talented women however childcare issues are important both to them and the business and should
Be discussed. Many women want to work flexibly so as to spend time with their children - some roles in our business can accommodate flexible arrangements more easily than others so why not discuss children and childcare at the outset? Don't get me wrong if someone apples for a full time job with set hours I don't presume they don't want to do that but some of the senior roles we have involve dealing with emergencies and staying late to sort them out. I have several mums working for me who happily take on these roles as partners/others take on the lions share of childcare. I have others who would not dream of not being there to collect their children at a set time and would rather have a role that enables them to do that.

Personally I think much of our current employment law has gone too far in favour of the employee and that businesses should be able to discuss and consider these issues.

[ElizaDoLots]

'It is not a stupid question - it's a relevant question.' I beg to differ, because as you know it is unlawful to discriminate against women on this basis, so any company shoddy enough to ask such a question is taking a risk, not following best practice, and therefore raises questions about themselves as an organisation. I think it also assumes that the woman in question isn't intelligent enough to work out on her own how to manage both childcare and work. Besides, who is going to give an honest answer, if they haven't solved the problem of balancing child-care and work.

'I am not sexist - I employ a lot of bright and talented women however childcare issues are important both to them and the business and should
Be discussed. Many women want to work flexibly so as to spend time with their children - some roles in our business can accommodate flexible arrangements more easily than others so why not discuss children and childcare at the outset?' all very well, but what about men - do they not want to spend time with their children? My DH certainly does.

[manicinsomniac]

I think it depends on the job. I work in a role where my children have to come second to my job.

My employers will always check if that is going to work for the people they interview. If it isn't then I don't see why the employer can't choose someone for whom it will work.

It's not discrimination (I'm a single parent of 2 with no local family support and I was still given my job), it's just making sure they get the person with the flexibility or attitude they want.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Before I had kids I applied for a job that involved shifts and was asked in the interview if my boyfriend was going to mind me not been there to cook his dinner. Only 13 years ago!

[Lovelygoldboots]

This thread is immensely depressing. When I left UNi 18 years ago I was asked several times what my plans were for starting a family. I have been a sahp now trying to return to work and opinions clearly haven't changed. We are expected to be robots, not humans with lives who may or may not need time off. As women we are clearly not allowed the opportunity to join the workplace unless we can prove watertight childcare arrangements. Sorry, but this attitude stinks. If employers have a capable woman applying for a job she should be offered that job. End of.

[Noorny]

It is ILLEGAL but I have been on the receiving end of that question too.

I got the job but declined the offer.

[flowery]

Everyone who keeps stating with authority that these questions are illegal, they are not . There is no list of questions that cannot be asked at interviews, despite a persistent belief that that is the case.

It is illegal to discriminate in recruitment, and an employer who asks only female candidates about childcare arrangements is likely to find itself vulnerable to discrimination claims, but that doesn't mean it's illegal to ask. Not very sensible, especially if you have a mix of male and female candidates, but not illegal.

For those who want to ask something along those lines, the acceptable and reasonable thing to do is explain carefully the requirements of the job in terms of hours/flexibility/travel etc, then ask all candidates whether that would present any problems. All you can do really.

[SizzleSazz]

I agree with Ruddy to an extent - I will not lie about having children and that means they know I can't always travel at short notice (as I did frequently pre DC). I got my current senior role being open and honest which was appreciated by my prospective employer.

I actually got them to offer me an advertised FT role on a PT basis and said I would do everything in my power to meet out of hours requests. I have been able to be flexible every time they have asked it of me but they know that if I say no, it means I really have no choice.

[Noorny]

Actually Flowery it IS illegal. I take a lot of legal advice running my own businesses and there are certain questions that are not permitted.

[flowery]

Well if your advisers are telling you there is a list of not permitted questions you need new ones.

I spend my days giving employment law advice to small business owners, and my clients all know that there is no such list.

[espressotogo]

I was asked at an interview (by a man) "you have 2 children how will that work ?" I replied " I've always worked and I have child care in place". The job was given to a man (it was between me and him), I suspect on the say so of this guy ( the agency had told me i was the prefered candidate by my prospective line manager) who was the third interviewer ( a director)but not my prospective line manager. Anyway, six months down the line they contacted me again and said the man they employed was not up to the job and could I come and see them.

I had another job by then but had really wanted this other one so I joined them and it has worked out really well. They are really happy with me and I feel in a really strong position as they made a huge mistake ( they admit) by not choosing me in the first place. Kids or not, I am much more competent than their first (wrong) choice !

[ElizaDoLots]

'Actually Flowery it IS illegal. I take a lot of legal advice running my own businesses and there are certain questions that are not permitted.' It's not illegal to ask the question - it is illegal to discriminate according to the answer given. The questions are probably not advised, because it is hard to prove that you have asked them of male and female. I agree with Flowery, you either need new advisers, or they are patronising you by dummying down employment law for you.

[ElizaDoLots]

'I agree with Flowery, you either need new advisers, or they are patronising you by dummying down employment law for you.' - sorry, that didn't even make sense! You either need new advisers, or you need to ask them not to over-simplify the information they give you.

[badguider]

why did the interviewer know she had two young children? i wouldn't tell any prospective employer that kind of information until after i had secured the job.
[i guess if she had a big gap on her cv she might have had to tell them why? but if it was just normal mat leave then you don't need to declare that as you're still 'employed' from x date to y date]

[2rebecca]

There are still alot of women who don't have childcare options if their children become sick and so do then take time off work. men are less incined to do this. There have been threads on mumsnet by mothers complaining that their employer was unsympathetic to their child's illness and alot of "just pull a sickie" type replies, with fewer "get the child's father to look after them" replies.
I'd rather an employer asked me a question about my children and childcare arrangements than just decided not to give me the job because I was of childbearing age and they didn't dare ask me about childcare.

I agree the question isn't illegal as long as you ask all applicants.

[Shakey1500]

I work ft with a 2yo and am pg again. I honestly feel I am better at my job since I had my ds.

Are you a bed tester?

Sorry...

[espressotogo]

Why did the interviewer know she had 2 children ?

Bad guider - to answer your question, this was the 2nd round of interviews and in a previous one with a female interviewer ( another director) we had got onto the subject of children as she had young dcs too. I felt no need to hide the fact I had kids as I had progressed in my career very successfully since having them

I assume that this info must have been shared !

I have great satisfaction now when I see this guy and know that he has heard great things about the work I am doing !

[StuntGirl]

It is not illegal to ask the question. It is illegal to ask it only to female candidates, and it is illegal to discriminate based on the answer, but the question itself can be asked.

However, due its loaded nature, and the fact there a hundred better ways of phrasing the question to find the information you need, and recruiter worth their salt would simply avoid it like the plague.

Your recruiter is either inexperienced or stupid, either way I would investigate further and complain if necessary.

[StuntGirl]

Actually let me rephrase - its bad practice to ask it of only female candidates as you leave yourself wide open to discrimination claims; if it can be proven you asked only female candidiates then you will be found guilty of discrimination, which is illegal.

My main point still stands. Good recruitment agents/interviewers will not ask the question as it is unneccesary.

[nooka]

I've never even been asked if I had children, and would be surprised if I was asked because it has nothing to do with my competency for the role in question. I would appreciate being told if a job really had lots of travel, anti-social hours or regular last minute crisis, because it would affect whether or not I would accept a position, but really that should be spelled out in advance so that candidates who would not be interested in working like that don't go through the work of applying for a job that doesn't fit their life.

If I was asked such a direct question I would simply answer 'no'. I'd be interested to see how that was followed up, and agree it would be a rather pointless question - who in their right mind would say 'yes', as it's such a leading question. I've interviewed plenty and never been tempted to ask what to me is a stupid question.