Walao eh, direct question like this also can ask ah?!
Yesterday I went for a job interview for this senior Executive role. Everything was going quite smoothly, standard conversation about my past experiences, resume, expected salary, etc. Then out of nowhere, the interviewer look at me, smile a bit, and hit me with this bombshell question:
“So ah, you married right? Any plans to get pregnant or have kids soon?”
Sumpah, I froze on the spot. My jaw almost drop into my hot coffee.
I was thinking in my head: Eh hello??? Is this one relevant to my job scope or my ability to do the work???
I managed to brush it off politely with a neutral answer like “Oh, currently just focusing on my career expansion”, but inside I was super annoyed and disturbed. So after I reached home, I immediately went to check the MOM and TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices) guidelines to double-check.
Guess what? Under the Employers’ Guidelines for Fair Employment Practices in Singapore, employers SHOULD NOT be asking job applicants questions about their marital status, pregnancy plans, or family planning during recruitment! It is literally against fair hiring practices! Questions should be strictly related to your skills, qualifications, and ability to perform the job.
Why in 2026 people still doing this kind of thing? A woman’s decision to have a baby or not has ZERO bearing on her competence, efficiency, and professional work ethics. Asking this kind of invasive question just puts female candidates in a super awkward and unfair position. If we say yes, later fear lose the job offer. If we say no, feel like our privacy being violated.
Honestly, it’s super discouraging. We talk so much about workplace equality and supporting women in the workforce, but local job interviews like this still happen quietly behind closed doors.
Ladies out there, if you ever encounter this kind of discriminatory question during your interview, just remember: you are NOT required to disclose your personal family plans, and they are NOT supposed to ask you! Know your rights under TAFEP.
Anyone else kena this kind of illegal question before during job hunt? How did you respond? Share share under comment section below! 👇🏻