It's none of their business, especially if it's for personal reasons like caregiving, having children, injuries, surgeries, or illnesses that caused bouts of unemployment. In fact, if I had it my way, I'd make it illegal and discriminatory to ask during the onboarding process. Employers should stick with relevant information such as education, criminal records, and whatever is actually necessary for the type of job in question.
It's none of their business, especially if it's for personal reasons like caregiving, having children, injuries, surgeries, or illnesses that caused bouts of unemployment. In fact, if I had it my way, I'd make it illegal and discriminatory to ask during the onboarding process. Employers should stick with relevant information such as education, criminal records, and whatever is actually necessary for the type of job in question.