Is this a sexist job interview question?

[Missp1980n]

In a job interview situation where you have an ‘in-tray’ exercise for the interviewers to see how you prioritise work, would you expect one of the things to prioritise being about your unwell child?
The other items are all job specific tasks but one states that your child has text you saying their abdo pain is worse.
Am I being unreasonable to think this is sexist because as a single mother of course I would prioritise my child over work?
Should I call it out?

Yes, that's discrimination on grounds of sex as more women are proportionately more likely to care for children. It's so obvious I'd bet they are trying to show they are a decent employer and want you to prioritize it, but that is just silly as men will dare to and women won't.

I wouldn't like it. Of course everyone would have to answer it, but they may be easily able to figure out who has children and who doesn't, and use it to discriminate against those with children who would prioritise that.

I had an interview two years ago where I was asked who will look after my children when I'm working. And whether I want to have any more. I was in my early thirties and most other staff were young and had no children. I know they're not allowed to ask me that question, but what was I supposed to do? It was during covid, every job I applied for had over 1000 applicants and my husband and I were both unemployed and desperate.

I'm not clear what the interviewer wants to get out of this question. If it's about finding out how a candidate deals with a crisis etc then there are other, less problematic ways to find this out. I would totally avoid asking anything to do with a candidate's home life in an interview.

Totally inappropriate and sexist imo. Men are less likely to be the primary parent / person to leave work.

It's unfair, but your answer would,have to be you have child care in place who would assess the abdo pain and take the child to the appropriate health care provider

You'll never know if you are the only one being asked this and not all the candidates so you can't call out a discriminatory question.

A single father would face the same issue.

They ask everyone the same questions I’d assume.
The job is for a clinical NHS role so you’d be expected to comment and rationalise why you would deal with some things before others.

Stupid questions. Just why?

Not sexist, there are single parents male or female and my husband is just as likely to leave to collect our daughters as I am.
However it is on a fine line of acceptability

It's a bad question, would be better phrased as "significant other"

And presumably the childless 19 yo male will pick his job over an imaginary child.

Actually... I am willing to bet real money, a lot of the 19yo males would be thinking "Am I bad person if I don't prioritise the child?! Is this a deceptive morality question? What is the right answer?" They'd struggle.

I could see 22yo DS launching into detailed risk assessment. and 18yo DS bluntly saying "i don't know! I have no life experience to answer this!" You tell me if those are better answers than someone who can talk confidently and instantly from real life experience about work-life balance.

This question should not have been set. They need to be told that this question falls into both 'biased' and 'discriminatory'.
Regardless of that, the question is bloody stupid. How can someone who does not have children possibly answer that question?!

Obviously any parent would prioritise their child complaining of abdo pain which is worsening! All other 'in-tray' requirements would be immediately put on hold (brief reference to 'delegation' if you're feeling like playing the stupid interview question game, I suppose).

Most single parents are female, even when the dad is somewhat involved. And single dad's don't have the same negative stereotypes cast onto single or lone mothers.

To be honest I would penalise the candidates who didn't prioritise the child: it could be appendicitis. that it was included in candidate selection though

Maybe they should have phrased it as a very close family member, who you know is at home alone ….

Empathy? Depending on the culture of the company this may or may not be something that is desired.

Some empathy that a person who cannot have children might not like being asked a question posed (specifically in the op) as if they have a child would be nice. Not a great culture if the empathy only goes one way.

Asking what you would do if a family member called, or if you managed a team and a team member has this issue are very different. Or also being asked how you would support and reprioritise you work because a colleague had been called away to a sick child would also highlight empathy and culture fit.

I was responding to a specific question - I think i have already said it should have been a different question asked in the interview.

Don't know about sexist but very unfair to single working parents

Surely it depends what the "correct" answer is.

If I asked the question (I wouldn't) I'd be looking for someone honest enough to say, of course I'd go to my child, but I'd get others help with the other priorities before I left.

I don't really know what you learn from the question as an employer though. I don't want staff who wouldn't care for their families when needed though.

Really, really poorly thought out interview question.

Asking what they would do if a team member they were managing was in that situation would be a much better question and would indicate their ability to problem solve in a way that maintains staff morale and retention while ensuring minimum impact on the business where possible.

I have been expected to have childcare in the event of my son being sick. To have alternative arrangements in place.

This was in 2007 so ages ago.

In the end it was much easier to become self employed which I did.

It's not really a fair question. How old is the child? Are we talking adult or teen or preteen. Is this pain enough that they need to be taken to hospital or is it just a bug? Is there another parent on the scene?

I wouldn't leave for a 15 year old with a dodgy stomach but I would for a 10 year old with suspected appendicitis. It's too ambiguous.