Beyond the obvious purpose of determining an applicant’s ability to do the job and fit into your company, there are other considerations when preparing your interview questions. Even when asking for information that it is legal to request, you can cross the line into discriminatory (and therefore illegal) questions by the way you ask. It is perfectly acceptable to ask if an applicant is authorized to work in the U.S. It is illegal to ask if they are a U.S. citizen. It’s important to research these issues to be sure you are clear: color, race, religion, sex, birthplace, national origin, disability, age, and family or marital status.