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Interviewing and Selecting Job Candidates: District of Columbia

Interviewing and Selecting Job Candidates requirements for other states

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Authors

Authors: Stuart R. Buttrick, Susan W. Kline and Tareen Zafrullah, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Summary

  • District of Columbia antidiscrimination law prohibits discriminatory practices based on a broad range of protected classes that go well beyond federal law. See The Application Process.
  • Employers may ask questions aimed at overcoming the past effects of employment discrimination. See Affirmative Action Inquiries.
  • Most private employers are restricted from asking criminal history questions prior to making a conditional job offer. See Criminal History Inquiries.
  • Preemployment inquiries generally must be nondiscriminatory unless the employer can provide a reasonable explanation and show the questions are tied directly to job performance. See Interviewing Applicants.
  • The District of Columbia Human Rights Act lists specific practices that employers must avoid during the interview and selection process. See Selecting Candidates.
  • The District of Columbia has enacted a new law that bans discrimination against job candidates who are unemployed. See Discrimination Against the Unemployed.