What employers can ask at an interview

Your potential employer can only ask questions about how your disability relates to doing the job and working safely. The employer can ask how you think the workplace could be changed to help you do the job. The employer can ask about how work hours or rosters could be changed to help you perform better in the role. The employer can ask questions about keeping the workplace safe for you and everyone else.

Your potential employer cannot ask you personal questions about your lifestyle. Your employer cannot ask you general questions about your health. Your employer cannot ask you general questions about your disability.

Types of questions your employer can ask you

  • “Will you need any special work arrangements so you can do your job?”
  • “Will you need any changes to be made here in the workplace?”
  • “Have you got ideas about good ways to do your job?”
  • “Do you have ideas for making your workplace safe?”
  • “Do you take any medication that might make it unsafe for you to do the job?”
  • “How will you let us know about medical appointments so we can change your work roster?”

Types of questions your employer cannot ask you

  • “Do you take of lot of medication?”
  • “Are you sick a lot?”
  • “How many times a year do you go to the doctor?”
  • “Are you going to be able to cope?”
  • “Does your disability make you get angry with other people?”
  • “Have you ever lost another job because of your disability?”

Remember: information about your disability is personal

You have the right for your personal information to be kept private. Your employer cannot talk to anyone else about your disability without asking you first. If you think someone at work has not kept your personal details private, you have the right to complain.

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