The basic requirements regarding pre-employment inquiries and the types of questions that are prohibited on job application forms apply to the job interview as well.

• Pre-employment questions about illness may not be asked, because they may reveal the existence of a disability. However, an employer may provide information on its attendance requirements and ask if an applicant will be able to meet these requirements.
• Questions about a person's disability should not be asked even if the applicant is requested in a follow-up question to identify accommodations that would enable job performance. Inquiries should not focus on an applicant's disabilities. The applicant may be asked about ability to perform specific job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• Questions about use of prescription drugs are not permitted before a conditional job offer, because the answer to such questions might reveal the existence of certain disabilities which require prescribed medication.
• Information may not be requested regarding treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, because the ADA protects people addicted to drugs and alcohol who have been successfully rehabilitated, or who are undergoing rehabilitation, from discrimination based on drug addiction.
• An employer may not ask about an applicant's workers' compensation history at the pre-offer stage, but may obtain such information after making a conditional job offer. Such questions are prohibited because they are likely to reveal the existence of a disability. In addition, it is discriminatory under the ADA not to hire an individual with a disability because of speculation that the individual will cause increased worker's compensation costs.

The job interview should focus on the ability of an applicant to perform the job, not on a disability.

The interviewer could obtain needed information about an applicant's ability and experience in relation to specific job requirements through statements and questions such as: "80% of the time of this sales job must be spent on the road covering a three-state territory. What is your outside selling experience? Do you have a valid driver's license? What is your accident record?"

Where an applicant has a visible disability (wheelchair), or has volunteered information about a disability, the interviewer may not ask questions about:

The interviewer may describe or demonstrate the specific functions and tasks of the job and ask whether an applicant can perform these functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.

An interviewer may give the applicant a copy of a detailed position description and ask whether s/he can perform the functions described in the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Questions may be asked regarding ability to perform all job functions, not merely those that are essential to the job.

An interviewer may obtain information about an applicant's ability to perform essential job functions and about any need for accommodation in several ways, depending on the particular job applicant and the requirements of a particular job.

• The applicant may be asked to describe or demonstrate how s/he will perform specific job functions, if this is required of everyone applying for a job in this category, regardless of disability.
• If an applicant has a known disability that would appear to interfere with or prevent performance of a job-related function, s/he may be asked to describe or demonstrate how this function would be performed, even if other applicants do not have to do so.
• If an applicant has a known disability that would not interfere with or prevent performance of a job related function, the employer can only ask the applicant to demonstrate how s/he would perform the function if all applicants in the same job category are required to do so, regardless of disability.

If an applicant indicates that s/he can not perform an essential job function even with an accommodation, the applicant would not be qualified for the job in question.

An interviewer may not ask whether an applicant will need to or request leave for medical treatment or for other reasons related to disability.

The interviewer may provide information on the employer's regular work hours, leave policies, and any special attendance needs of the job, and ask if the applicant can meet these requirements (provided that the requirements actually are applied to employees in a particular job).

Information about previous work attendance records may be obtained on the application form, in the interview or in reference checks, but the questions should not refer to illness or disability.

The employer must provide an accommodation, if needed, to enable an applicant to have equal opportunity in the interview process. The employer may find it helpful to state in an initial job notice, and/or on the job application form, that applicants who need accommodation for an interview should request this in advance.

Needed accommodation for interviews may include: an accessible location for people with mobility impairments, a sign interpreter for a deaf person, a reader for a blind person.

Before making a conditional job offer, an employer may not request any information about a job applicant from a previous employer, family member, or other source that it may not itself request of the job applicant.

• Before making a conditional offer of employment, an employer may not ask previous employers or other sources about an applicant's:
  - disability;
  - illness;
  - workers' compensation history; or
  - any other question that the employer itself may not ask of the applicant.
• A previous employer may be asked about:
  - job functions and tasks performed by the applicant;
  - the quality and quantity of work performed;
  - how job functions were performed;
  - attendance record;
  - other job-related issues that do not relate to disability.

If an applicant has a known disability and has indicated that s/he could perform a job with a reasonable accommodation, a previous employer may be asked about accommodations made by that employer.