Am I required to tell applicants why they are rejected from a position? I prefer to tell them as little as possible; however, some applicants push for more information.

No law requires you to tell applicants anything when you reject them. In fact, most legal experts advise employers to provide as little information as possible to rejected candidates. As a result, many employers simply state that the candidate does not have the qualifications necessary for the position or that he was not as well-qualified as other applicants. However, there are a few instances when you may want to provide applicants with a more detailed explanation of your decision. Specifically, you may feel it is necessary to give more feedback to a candidate who has been through several interviews or who applied for an executive or professional position.

[Creating HR Policies or Employee Handbook?]

If you choose to give more information, here are a few tips to follow. One, protect your organization against claims of discrimination by being factual, truthful, and to-the-point in your explanation. If you explain the legitimate, business-related reasons for the applicant’s rejection, the applicant will not have a very strong claim that your reasons are discriminatory. Second, help the candidate improve his interviewing skills by alerting him to any deficiencies in his interview performance. Thus, if the candidate appears qualified on paper but has difficulty providing real-life examples of his abilities when he is face-to-face, he should work on his presentation. Finally, don’t be bullied into giving more information than you feel comfortable divulging. If the candidate pushes for more reasons or makes threats of legal action, end the conversation and thank the candidate for his time.

Reprinted with permission from HR Matters, copyright Personnel Policy Service, Inc., Louisville, KY, all rights reserved, the HR Policy and Employment Law Compliance Experts for over 30 years, 1-800-437-3735.  Personnel Policy Service markets group legal service benefits and publishes HR information products, including the free weekly electronic newsletter, HR Matters E-Tips (www.ppspublishers.com/hrmetips.htm).  This article is not intended as legal advice.  Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate legal or other professional advice.