Interviewers’ guide: What to do if a job candidate discloses a mental health condition

Interviewers must know how to navigate the conversation properly, to avoid being discriminatory or disrespectful.

This article was developed by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) in partnership with the National Council on Social Service (NCSS).

When a job candidate discloses a mental health condition at the interview stage, it is important for interviewers to know how to properly navigate the conversation to avoid being discriminatory or disrespectful.

Here are three simple steps interviewers can take to demonstrate respect and sensitivity when communicating with candidates who disclose a mental health condition during job interviews.

1. Thank the candidate for their openness

It takes a lot of courage and confidence to talk about one’s mental health condition due to the stigma associated with these conditions. Therefore, how interviewers respond is critical and can represent an organization’s attitude toward hiring people with mental health issues. Avoid overreacting and making insensitive comments or asking questions such as: “You don’t seem to have (mental health condition)”, “How did you get (mental health condition)?”, etc.

Assure candidates that the interview will focus on bringing out their skills to do the job.

2. Be honest about job expectations

It is important to reserve judgment and not dismiss a candidate’s application based on disclosure.

Make your expectations clear and allow the candidate to share how they did or would do the tasks required for the position they applied for, and listen carefully for evidence of their abilities. To objectively assess your skills, frame questions directly related to selection criteria that are applied consistently to all candidates using techniques such as competency-based questions.

Avoid making assumptions about your abilities because of your condition.

3. Share about your organization’s inclusive work culture

Check first if the candidate requires adjustments or accommodations in the workplace. Not all people with mental health problems need accommodations to do the job. If workplace accommodations and adjustments are available (eg, flexible work hours, employee assistance programs, and wellness ambassadors), interviewers may point them out. This helps communicate the organization’s commitment to hiring people with mental health issues (and any other disabilities) and encourages candidates to share if they need accommodations.

If in doubt, let the candidate know that they should check their request for workplace accommodations first, and this can be discussed further at a later stage.

If your request cannot be met, help the candidate understand the organization’s considerations and rationale (e.g., the adaptation/adjustment will incur excessive costs or fundamentally change the nature or operation of the business, etc.). ), and explore other options with them. .

In general, employers must exercise care and diligence when collecting confidential and/or personal information. Organizations should not ask job applicants to declare personal information, such as their mental health status, unless there is a job-related requirement.

If you need information that could be considered discriminatory, please clearly state the reasons why you are collecting the information.

For more resources on how to conduct interviews in a nondiscriminatory and respectful manner, visittafep.sg.

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