• Employers should ask each applicant the same questions to lawfully obtain critical background information.

In addition to serving as an information-gathering tool, if done improperly, the in-person driver interview can quickly become a corporate liability.

Asking questions prohibited by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during any pre-employment interview may open the door for an applicant to take legal action against the company. However, in the current safety- and security-conscious environment, motor carriers need to gather as much applicable information on a driver candidate as possible.

Lawful questions

How can carriers stay within the law while obtaining critical background information on each applicant during the in-person interview? One way is to be consistent by asking each applicant the same questions for a particular position.

HR topics to review as you hire motor carrier employees: Americans with Disabilities Act and Discrimination.