Illegal questions at a job interview may concern family planning or private matters the employer is not allowed to investigate. You do not have to answer about plans for children. Ask instead what is relevant to the job, and document the conversation afterwards.
Can an employer ask whether you want children?
As a general rule, employers may not collect information about pregnancy, adoption or plans for children. You are not obliged to answer such questions during recruitment.
Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet (LDO), the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, provides guidance on discrimination rules. The Ombud's explanation of family planning questions at job interviews was checked as of 7 October 2026. The prohibition applies regardless of gender and includes questions about a partner's pregnancy or family plans.
Questions about marital status or children you already have are not, in themselves, prohibited under this Act. This does not mean caring responsibilities can freely be used as grounds for unlawful unequal treatment. Distinguish between the question itself and how the answer is used.
SamfunnPrep has a broader guide on discrimination at work. This article helps you distinguish job-relevant questions from private information during the interview itself.
What about religion, politics and trade unions?
Religion, beliefs, political opinions and trade union membership have separate restrictions on questions, with limited exceptions. An employer cannot treat them as ordinary areas of interest for every position.
The rules are in section 30 of likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven, the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act, and section 13-4 of arbeidsmiljøloven, the Working Environment Act, checked as of 7 October 2026. Exceptions must be assessed specifically in relation to the position and the organisation's purpose.
For example, a position contributing to a particular religious or political purpose may raise different issues from an ordinary warehouse job. For several such exceptions, the need for information must be stated in the job advertisement. “We like to get to know people” is not a specific explanation of why an exception applies.
If asked, you can request the reason: “Which part of the duties makes this necessary?” Keep the advertisement. It may show what the employer stated before the interview.
Can an employer ask about illness?
An employer may collect only health information necessary to perform the position's duties. A general investigation of your health is different from clarifying your ability to work.
This follows from section 9-3 of arbeidsmiljøloven, checked as of 7 October 2026 through Arbeidstilsynet, the authority supervising the working environment. Necessary information must be connected to the specific job.
For example, an employer can describe lifting duties and ask whether you can perform them. Requiring your entire medical history is a different matter. Ask to keep the conversation focused on the duties and any necessary adjustments.
You can reply: “I can perform these duties. I need a more detailed description of the lifting before assessing any need for adjustments.” Adapt the answer to what you actually know. Do not promise to perform a task you cannot manage.
Which work-related questions may be lawful?
An employer can ask relevant questions about experience, skills and ability to do the work. A personally worded question is not automatically illegal.
It may be relevant to clarify a start date, agreed working hours or language skills the job requires. Ask about specific expectations if the advertisement only says “flexible”. You can then explain your availability without describing your family's entire daily life.
LDO describes how language and health requirements must relate to the job's needs in its guidance on equal recruitment. Good Norwegian may be necessary in one job, while another level is sufficient in another.
Before the interview, read the guide to Norwegian CVs, applications and interviews. Prepare specific examples from work so you can bring the conversation back to your skills.
How can you answer without sharing your private life?
You can ask about relevance, limit your answer or bring the conversation back to the duties. Choose wording you can use calmly in the situation.
Some practical options:
- “I would be happy to explain how my experience fits the duties.”
- “Can you explain why this information is necessary for the position?”
- “I would like to keep my family plans private. I can discuss the start date and working hours.”
- “I can answer whether I can do the job, but I do not wish to share my entire medical history.”
These are suggested messages written for this guide, rather than quotations from an official template. They offer a way to clarify the question without starting a lengthy legal discussion during the interview.
You can choose to disclose pregnancy or family plans yourself. LDO explains that the question prohibition does not prevent you from raising the subject. Voluntary disclosure still does not make unlawful unequal treatment permissible.
What should you document after the interview?
Write down the specific questions as soon as possible, distinguishing quotations from your own interpretation. Save the advertisement and messages that may confirm what happened.
A note can include:
| Information | What to record |
|---|---|
| Time and place | Date, time and whether the interview was online |
| Participants | Names or roles of those present |
| The question | The wording as you remember it |
| Your answer | What you actually answered or chose to clarify |
| Afterwards | Rejection, changes or written explanations |
You can send a short follow-up message if you need clarification. For example: “Family plans were raised during the interview. Please confirm which criteria you use to assess candidates.” Do not write that the employer admitted something if that did not happen.
Where can you get help if you do not get the job?
LDO can provide free guidance without any obligation, and you can contact the Ombud anonymously. A rejection alone does not mean discrimination occurred.
Show the questions, advertisement and any explanation to the adviser. Ask what information is needed before proceeding. Diskrimineringsnemnda, the body handling discrimination complaints, is a different institution from the Ombud's advisory service.
If offered a job, assess the employment contract before signing. The interview and contract should give the same clear picture of duties and working hours.
Find more help for everyday life in Norway on SamfunnPrep's tools page. Before your next interview, note one relevant work example and one sentence to use if the conversation becomes too private.
