Inappropriate interview questions

[30andgrey]

I just turned down a job offer because I deemed these questions inappropriate….AIBU?

1. How many times have you been on maternity leave during your current employment?

2. What are the details of your childcare arrangements?

3. What does a normal day look like for you in terms of balancing raising a young family and a senior post?

The above questions were asked in a telephone conversation after a panel interview.

Anyone else think these are extremely discriminatory?

I turned down the offer that was 4 pay scales higher than my current role because it seemed like they were asking me to prioritise work if it came to it and I had to go over and above to assure them that being a parent would not hinder my ability to do the role.

Would love to know if I’m an idiot for turning down a whopping pay increase or if I am reasonable for thinking it would have been a nightmare to work for an organisation with this mindset.

That’s awful. Complain. Would they ask men anything similar? It is discrimination alright.

I don't think the details of childcare arrangements are anything to be wary of, my nhs employer asked me how old my daughter was and what childcare I had in place, didn't seem discriminatory to me. The maternity leave question and typical day question sound a bit off, but again I wouldn't let it put me off, as long as you were open and honest in the interview it's not something they can hold against you.

TBH I think I would have asked them if they were asking the same questions of the male applicants. Sounds like you've dodged a bullet - the company obviously resents working mothers and isn't prepared to facilitate family friendly working practices. I am not even sure if its illegal to ask the questions they asked

Given that they offered you the job I don't think you'd get very far claiming discrimination. Clearly your answers to those questions, or your refusal to answer them, sent out the right messages that you were the person for the role.

Hugely discriminatory and definitely shouldn't be present in a job interview! Can guarantee they wouldn't be asking the same questions to a male candidate.

Would they ask a man these questions?

That's awful. Asking about your maternity? I'd say that's skating dangerously close to being discriminatory. That company ought to be careful.

Please do give feedback to the company on this.

my nhs employer asked me how old my daughter was and what childcare I had in place, didn't seem discriminatory to me

If it's only asked of females candidates, it's discriminatory.

I think it definitely shows the mindset of a company and agree with pp about whether they'd ask a man those questions.

Incidentally I was asked once "how would your husband describe you".....didn't get offered the job but did raise it with the hiring manager who gave me an 'oh ha ha he can be like that' answer. Bullet dodged. And kicked myself for not saying my husband is irrelevant to my career!!

Yanbu
Did you feed this back to them when declining?

All three of those questions are illegal.

I will eat my hat if they are asking male candidates how much parental leave they've taken and what their childcare arrangements are. Awful.

It's shit.
I once was asked in interview if I intended starting a family.
If I were you I would've taken the job, knowing there are certain rights enshrined in law, and hand them their arsed on a plate through tribunal if they behaved badly.

It’s not automatically discrimanatory. You’d need to prove they didn’t ask a man the same questions and about paternity leave. Do you know they didn’t?

If they did not ask a man, then yes it is discrimatory. If they did then it’s not.

You wouldn't have been asked those questions if you were a man.

Wow awful, you dodged a bullet! Would also complain to their HR department/CEO or board. In would bet a lot of money male candidates don’t get asked this.

I was once quizzed on my childcare arrangements and then didn’t get the job. I should have complained then.

OP may have been offered the role based on her answers. They may have satisfied the Company that work will come first. I'd lay money on men not being asked the same. It's discriminatory!

I bet if Op has answered that her mum was the childcare option although could be a bit flaky and that her DC could not eat dinner or go to bed without her there she would not have got the job. I bet a male candidate wouldn't have been asked.

I would contact the Company and tell them that you rejected their offer as they cam across as a discriminatory employer and that you hope the unsuccessful female candidates don't take them to a tribunal. If we want this behaviour to stop, we need to call it out.

How can OP prove that the same questions were/weren't asked of male candidates?

Awful isn't it. And you can't win. I'm a single parent and I was interviewed my a man with children of roughly the same age and he wanted to know how I'd manage. I said that my mother was so supportive than my xh had been so it would actually be easier than it had been when I was married. Didn't get that job either.

Discriminatory- complain

@Bluntness100

It’s not automatically discrimanatory. You’d need to prove they didn’t ask a man the same questions and about paternity leave. Do you know they didn’t?

If they did not ask a man, then yes it is discrimatory. If they did then it’s not.

Of course they didn’t ask the men! Highly unlikely imo

Goodness I know someone who hires weekend waiters and wouldn't ask any of those questions.

The men would not have been asked.

@30andgrey

Of COURSE it's a bit shit, but tbf, a woman (who has school age children) IS going to be more of a liability to many employers than a man.

People say 'well you know they wouldn't have asked a man that!' Well of course they wouldn't, because their job and the ability to do it, isn't going to be affected by babies/young children as much as a woman.

A bitter pill to swallow, and for people to admit, but it's true. A man isn't going to go off for a year on maternity leave (and possibly never return) is he? And a man isn't going to be called out every other week because the kid is ill, or the childminder is ill and needs the kid to be picked up. And a man isn't going to be taking time off to spend time with the sick child.

You can all argue differently, but as I said, rightly or wrongly, many employers see women - especially child bearing age - as much more of a liability than a man... So yep, a woman is far more likely to be asked these questions. Not great and not nice, but understandable IMO.

@Decaffe

All three of those questions are illegal.

Do you have a source for this statement?