You can choose from plenty of good questions to ask potential employees, but there are some questions that you should never, ever ask. Why? Primarily because in some cases, it may be against the law to do so. In addition, certain questions have little or no relevance to a candidate’s potential ability to do a job. So here’s a word to the wise: Avoid at all costs questions that have anything to do with the following topics.

_ Race or skin color

_ Country of origin

_ Gender or sexual orientation

_ Marital status

_ Religious beliefs

_ Arrest and conviction record

_ Height and weight

_ Debts

_ Disability

Make sure that questions on these topics are not a part of your company’s job application either. Possible exceptions include questions related to height and weight for firefighters, and similar work-related physical requirements for other jobs.