Is it legal to ask about height or weight in a job interview?
Asking a candidate's height or weight is risky, because it can act as a proxy for sex, national origin or disability, and a growing number of places now protect against height and weight discrimination. Ask only about the physical tasks the job actually requires.
Height and weight rarely relate to job performance, and requirements built around them can disproportionately screen out people by sex, national origin or disability. A growing number of states and cities also protect height and weight directly.
If the role has genuine physical demands, describe those demands and ask whether the candidate can perform them, with or without reasonable accommodation, rather than asking for body measurements.
Risky phrasing
“How tall are you, and how much do you weigh?”
Compliant rewrite
This role involves standing for long shifts and lifting up to 40 lbs. Can you perform those tasks, with or without accommodation?
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