body: The HR department at my company is concerned about what can and cannot be asked in a technical interview for a software position. We are being told that under Title VII we cannot do the following:
  
  
  1. Have candidates perform a simple coding exercise where they write some code to solve a general problem we provide
  2. Ask technical questions on a phone screening (e.g. ask the candidate to explain what a particular technical term means or how that technology is used), without the questions being vetted by an IO psychologist and administered by a trained professional
  
  
  I have been a part of hundreds of interviews as both the interviewer and interviewee at many different companies. Technical questions and tasks have always been a part of the process. I have spoken with friends about technical interview questions they were asked when interviewing at Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc.. If these large companies are able to ask technical questions, I feel that our company must be mis-applying the law somehow.
  
  
  Can we legally ask technical questions of candidates and/or ask them to complete a coding exercise? 
  
  
  
title: What types of questions can I legally ask in a technical interview without violating Title VII