DEAR HARRIETTE: There's been some controversy about whether wearing an engagement ring to a job interview lessens your chances of securing the job. As an engaged woman, I read this article intensely and was unsure what to make of it. Could an employer actually label me as high maintenance because of the ring my fiancee gave me? The article I read mentioned that I would be more likely to receive a lower salary because my interviewer would know I will be married soon. I'm totally paranoid over this, and I'm trying to figure out how I could fight this injustice if I were to experience this type of discrimination. Is it really best to take off the ring? -- Business and Personal, Syracuse, New York
DEAR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL: This is partly why the title Ms. was fought for as a replacement for Mrs. or Miss -- to level the gender playing field. Know that any such bias you mentioned is illegal but extremely difficult to prove, as it may be unconscious. Unless you are ready for part of your hiring experience to include potentially fighting for a new layer of equality, you may consider taking off the ring during the interview. As an experiment, you might wear it for interviews that you don't really want, just to see what happens.