1. “How old are you? What is your background?”
2. “What is your maiden name?”
3. “Do you have a disability? How much sick leave did you take in your last job?”
4. “Do you drink? Have you ever used drugs?”
5. “Are you a member of a union? Do you plan on joining one?”
What can you do if you get asked any of these questions?
It can be tempting to try and build a rapport by answering questions like these as small talk, but by law your interviewer is not permitted to ask.
It is illegal for an employer to ask how old you are in an interview under the Age Discrimination Act. A subtler way they may try to probe for it is by asking “when did you graduate?”. In jobs where you need to be an adult to work there, the employer is only allowed to ask whether you are over 18.
They are also not allowed to ask about your cultural background or religion. Making hiring decisions based on these factors is discriminatory unless it affects your ability to do the job you’re applying for.