Aussie woman’s fury after CEO asks her relationship status in job interview – when she confronted him, his response left her horrified

A young Aussie has unleashed after the boss of a local business asked an ‘inappropriate’ question during the hiring process and then doubled down when challenged.

The woman, who posts on TikTok as Sash and Lady, was shocked when she was asked about her current relationship status in a written questionnaire after applying for a position with the company.

She was further stunned when the CEO defended the question by suggesting he was assessing an applicant’s ‘mental stability’.

In a video posted online, the jobseeker revealed she couldn’t believe she had the whole conversation ‘in writing’.

The video begins with the young woman explaining she was asked to fill out a survey as part of the application process, which she had no problem with.

‘Then I came across the mother of all red flags,’ she said.

The question about her current relationship status which was written as multiple choice.

It asked for ‘your relationship status today’ and gave six options to respond with: Married, single, in a long term relationship, married with children, in a new relationship and, astonishingly, ‘I don’t know what I am in, I am confused’. 

‘Obviously straight away I knew this was highly inappropriate and I am absolutely not answering that. It has nothing to do with the role or my ability to complete the role,’ the woman said.

The jobseeker said she messaged the boss to let him know the question was not appropriate and to thank him for his time, assuming her input would be helpful.

But he appeared to push back against her claim the question was inappropriate.

‘I still ask it anyway because from our culture perspective it is important for me to know what kind of mental stability someone is in when they are planning to look after our team and in that knowing their ability to manage a relationship shows a lot for myself,’ he wrote.

‘Ill consider this kind of connection of knowledge a deal breaker for you?’ he asked.

At this point, the woman looked dumbfounded in her video.

‘Ah f**k yea my guy, that’s a deal breaker,’ she said.

‘If anyone ever asks you questions which are inappropriate, have nothing to do with the role absolutely run for the hills.

‘This kind of individual clearly has absolutely no boundaries.

‘If they have no boundaries when it comes to your personal/professional life they are going to continue to push those boundaries in a workplace.

‘I am shooketh that managers like this exist… that this actually happens behind closed doors.’

Many people were just as shocked in the comments on her video.

‘He asked about relationship and children, no, no, no, none of your business mate,’ one woman said.

‘He is projecting his own mental instability,’ said another.

‘This is just a sneaky way of asking if they are going to have to pay for maternity leave,’ another wrote. 

Many commenters shared their doubt that the question was even legal.

‘You’re allowed to ask, but if it’s answered you’ve just opened yourself up to brutal discrimination claims,’ one man said.

‘So HR just tells management it’s illegal to make our lives easier.’

But others slammed the man’s response.

‘It is very illegal,’ one woman said.

‘In Australia it is illegal actually,’ said a second.

‘It is very illegal in Canada,’ added a third. 

Under the Fair Work Act in Australia, an employer cannot ask you if you are in a relationship as this is considered a form of discrimination based on marital status, which is prohibited by law. 

Others didn’t care about any loopholes and said they would have reported the business to Fair Work immediately.

‘He was so kind to put it all in writing for you, straight to Fair Work with that evidence,’ one commenter said.

‘Fair Work immediately, even if nothing happens now it will be on file if it is needed later,’ another wrote. 

However, other commenters took the side of the business owner.

‘I’d laugh at something like this. Maybe they’re after chill people and not Karens, good way to spot a Karen before they hire them,’ one woman said.

‘I agree with the question to a degree, not his reason for them. Single/partnered, children/no children should be the only responses. These can affect your role if there are remote work aspects,’ one man said.

Another woman added: ‘If you have a partner then your life would be completely different hahah, your needs as employee would also be different. A company has to take into an account your lifestyle.’

She added: ‘everyone is looking at the question the wrong way.’ 

Dozens revealed they have been asked similar questions.

‘I was asked at an interview once if I was planning on getting married and having kids. They’re not allowed to ask questions like that,’ one woman said.

‘I had the same thing. I was young at the time and answered the questions because I was desperate for a job, but I wish I had pushed back,’ added another.

A third said: ‘I once got asked at an interview if I was “religious or into any weird cults or anything like that” I got the job but that should’ve been the first red flag bc it was the worst two years of my life.’