Source date: 2026-06-08

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Can you ask a candidate's age during a job interview? Published on June 9, 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister's Office)

During a job interview, a recruiter must respect the principle of non-discrimination. Questions related to origin, gender, or sexual orientation are prohibited. However, certain nuances may exist, particularly regarding the candidate's age. Entreprendre Service Public explains.

Article L1132-1 of the Labor Code states that no person can be excluded from a recruitment process due to their age. The recruiter must adhere to this principle of non-discrimination.

However, this prohibition must be nuanced. Article L1133-2 of the Labor Code provides that "differences in treatment based on age do not constitute discrimination when they are objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim".

This aim may be:

• the preservation of the worker's health or safety;

• supporting their professional integration, retraining...

It is therefore possible to restrict access to employment to ensure the protection of young people or older workers, for example. The legitimate aim being to ensure employee safety.

Legal texts and references

• Article L1132-1 of the Labor Code

• Article L1133-2 of the Labor Code

See also

• Choosing a candidate

• Discrimination at work Service Public

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Source: Service-Public professionals