Final answer:
All four questions provided (age, marital status, parental status, and nationality) could potentially be illegal if they are asked for the purpose of discrimination, as they relate to characteristics protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and are enforced by the EEOC.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Illegal Interview Questions
In the context of U.S. employment law, certain questions are considered illegal to ask during a job interview because they can be used to discriminate against candidates. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers are prohibited from asking questions about age, marital status, national origin, disability, and several other personal characteristics that are protected under federal law.
To directly answer the question which of the following interview questions is illegal for an employer to ask for the purpose of discrimination: 1) What is your age? 2) Are you married? 3) Do you have any children? 4) What is your nationality? All four options can be considered illegal if asked for the purpose of discrimination.
Questions that hint at an applicant's age, marital status, parental status or nationality can be seen as attempts to gather information that is irrelevant to the applicant's ability to perform the job and could be used to discriminate.
For instance, asking about someone's age could be a way to discriminate against older candidates. Inquiring about marital status or whether a candidate has children might indicate bias against those who could be perceived as having more outside commitments.
Questioning someone's nationality may imply discrimination based on national origin or race. Instead, interviewers should focus on the candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience relevant to the job position.