Conduct interviews in a manner that emphasizes abilities, achievements and individual qualities. Conduct your interview as you would with anyone. Be considerate without being patronizing. Never assume that just because an applicant has a disability that they will not be able to perform certain job functions.

You cannot legally ask an applicant if they have a disability, but you can ask if they are able to perform a job with or without accommodations. Here is suggested language for an application form:

"Are you able to perform the essential functions of the position for which you are applying, either with or without reasonable accommodations? Yes/No

If necessary, please describe what type(s) of reasonable accommodations are needed:

If the applicant checks a box and provides a description, you can follow up by asking questions about the accommodation(s) they have suggested. Here are some examples of appropriate and inappropriate questions:

#1: Applicant who is deaf
Inappropriate: "Are you going to be okay working in the warehouse even though you’re deaf? My other crew members listen for the forklift alarm to let them know it’s coming, but how would you know to get out of the way?"

Appropriate: "In the warehouse we have many safety concerns. Our workers are always listening for the forklift alarm to warn them to get out of its path. Do you have any suggestions to make our workplace more deaf-friendly?"

#2: Applicant who uses a wheelchair
Inappropriate: "This job requires the employee to lift a computer printout weighing 25 pounds from a table and move it to a desk. Since you’re in a wheelchair, I have to wonder if you’re able to lift 25 pounds?"

Appropriate: "This position requires moving a computer printout weighing 25 pounds from a table onto a desk. Do you foresee any difficulty in performing that task? If so, do you have any suggestions how that task can be performed?"

Interviewers should conduct a tour of the job site with all applicants to ensure that they understand the essential functions of the job and to identify any accessibility issues. At the least, interviewers must know whether or not the job site is accessible and should be prepared to answer accessibility-related questions.