Practice Test- SHRM CP
What is the purpose of talent management?
1) To create a reputation and working situation that draws in new talent and to hold on to the talent by constantly maintaining the most effective work situation that draws in new talent and 2) to hold onto the talent by constantly maintaining the most effective work situation for employees.
What is the minimum number of employees a company must have in order to be required to fill out OSHA forms?
11
How long does someone need to be employed at a company before they are eligible for FMLA leave?
12 months (does not have to be consecutive).
COBRA states that a company must provide a defined amount of health benefits for its it employees, if it employs at least how many employees?
20
How does The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) define stress?
A harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.
What is the purpose of a human resources audit?
A human resources audit can be fairly extensive in scope--to consider overall improvements that can be made within the company.
Define golden parachute.
A large payment or other financial compensation guarantee to a company executive should the executive be dismissed as a result of a merger or takeover.
Once a company has filed ERISA records, how long are they required to maintain those records according to the Department of Labor?
A minimum of 6 years.
Define golden handshake.
A payment given to someone who is laid off or retires early.
What kind of policy is required for all companies?
A policy about employee protection.
What is a qualified plan?
A qualified plan is provides IRS-approved tax advantages but without extra benefits for shareholders or executives. The most common types of qualified plans are profit sharing plans, defined benefit plans,and money purchase pension plans. In general, your contributions are not taxed until you withdraw money from the plan.
What is a defined contribution plan?
A type of retirement plan in which the employer, employee or both make contributions on a regular basis.
What is a non-qualified plan?
A type of tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement plan that falls outside of employee retirement income security act guidelines. Non-qualified plans are designed to meet specialized retirement needs for key executives and other select employees.
What is not stated as a category of OSHA violation?
Accidental
According to the NLRA, the right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection , is provided to which types of employees?
All employees of an organization and are not limited to to specific employees within an organization.
What is an employer brand?
An employer brand is simply a clear indication of a company's identity; it is essentially the unique characteristic(s) that define a company.
What is an environmental scan and how does it pertain to strategic planning?
An environmental scan has to do with the gathering of information that will help to project company growth and development. An environmental scan helps a company to review historical data to begin the process of preparing for expected or planned growth in the company.
Define golden life jacket.
An exceptional compensation package offered by the acquiring company to the top executives of the company being bought. The offer is meant to keep those executives interested in retaining their positions.
What is a vestibule training method?
An instructional training method in which employees are trained in simulated situations.
What does the instructional design acronym known as ADDIE stand for?
Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
What is an unfair labor practice?
Any activity from an employer or a union that hinders employees from exercising their rights.
Weighted Employment Application
Are forms requesting answers to questions or information related to specific requirements necessary to perform the duties associated with the position. Each requirement is then assigned a weight based on its importance to the position.
What is a benchmark position?
Benchmark positions are simply the types of positions that are common within all organizations, such as administrative assistants.
Coaching Leadership Style:
Coaching leaders are very effective in settings where performance or results need improvement. They help others to advance their skills; they build bench strength, and provide a lot of guidance. The coaching leadership style is most effective when followers are more responsible, experienced, and agreeable.
The phrase holy trinity refers to which of the following organizational controls?
Common law doctrines for worker's compensation. The unholy trinity refers to the common law doctrines of the fellow servant rule, the doctrine of contributory negligence, and the voluntary assumption of risk that traditionally reflected worker's compensation guidelines in the U.S.
Short-form Application
Consists of a pre-made form designed to obtain general information. Short-form applications are best used for positions that do not require a large number of specialized skills or for individuals within the organization, attempting to change positions.
What's involved in the human resources professional's analysis of staffing needs?
Create a list of necessary KSAs that will encourage company growth, Develop a list of employees who might be ready for promotion, Consider various hiring options for any open positions, as well as positions that will be open in the near future, and Review the results of past hiring decisions to increase the potential success of future decisions.
What is a deferred employee compensation program?
Deferred compensation is a portion of an employee's compensation that is set aside to be paid at a later date. In most cases, taxes on this income are deferred until it is paid out. (Ex: retirement plans, pension plans, & stock-option plans).
What type of voluntary benefit program utilizes a typical pension plan in which the employer adds an established benefit to the plan when the employee retires?
Defined Benefit Plan
What type of voluntary benefits plan relies on unknown benefits that result from investments that are gained on the retirement account?
Defined Contribution
What does the due diligence process for HR look like during a merger?
Documentation regarding employee names, employment contracts, I-9 forms, benefit contracts, compensation information, company policy and procedures, compliance documentation for equal opportunity, information about company labor relations, all information about potential legal situations, and legal compliance documentation for COBRA, FMLA, WARN, and OSHA.
What are the steps for Enterprise Risk Management?
ERM are focused primarily on identifying risk and pursuing means of managing and reducing risk. ERM does not include identifying the employees who are responsible for the risk.
What can an employer do when employees begin to unionize?
Employers may explain problems with unionization to employees. The employer is not allowed to prevent unionization.
Under what circumstance are employers legally allowed to check and review employees' emails?
Employers may legally do so as long as they provide a written policy informing employees of the potential for email searches. Without a written policy, employers could legally file concerns about invasion of employee privacy.
What are the steps in the strategic planning process?
Environmental Scanning, Formulating strategy, Implementing strategy, Making adjustments to strategy
What hazards are considered to be standard environmental health hazards according to OSHA?
Ergonomic design, stress, plants, & vibrations.
What are steps in an analysis of training?
Establish a clear objective for training, Collect data about potential problems and review it, Analyze where the organization is lacking in its objective and its outcome, Consider options with respect to the organization's available budget and time.
What is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977?
Establishes the rules for preventing bribery and penalizing occurrences of it within corporations that exist in several countries.
What is facilitation?
Facilitation is an instructional method that enables employees to work together on problem-solving techniques while under the guidance of a facilitator, or third-party expert in helping different groups interact effectively.
What is featherbedding?
Featherbedding occurs when a union requires that an otherwise obsolete job remains intact at an organization in order to avoid terminating an employee.
What does The McNamera-O'Hara Service Contact Act cover?
Federal Service Contracts
Why was The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act added to ERISA?
For the express purpose of forbidding any type of health benefit discrimination toward employees based on pre-existing health problems or conditions.
What "golden" benefits do executive compensation plans include?
Golden Parachute, Golden Handshake, Golden Handcuffs, and Golden Life Jacket
BC#9: HR Expertise
HR Knowledge (functional areas)
What is the role of HR regarding ERISA?
Handling and managing the pension funds that the organization provides for retirement accounts.
What is the primary role of fiduciary responsibility for the HR professional?
Handling the total rewards program at the organization.
In the planning and implementation process of a huge business initiative that will affect many employees, what is the most important ethical concern for HR?
Having a clear understanding of the business case for the initiative and building a robust communication campaign.
What was B.F. Skinner's behavioral theory based off of?
He concluded that all human actions can be conditioned through behavior modification, or different types of behavioral reinforcement.
What is Human Capital Planning?
Human Capital planning is a systematic process for identifying the resource pool and its capabilities to meet organization goals and developing the strategies to meet the requirements to fulfill those goals. A Human Management Capital plan is forward thinking; the questions asked look at the present and into the future.
What is the HR professional's responsibility when complying with ADA?
Human resources professionals are expected to discuss possible employee accommodations with management and to recommend the implementation of certain requests, but there is no requirement to implement all requests.
What major factors are in the process of establishing employee compensation within an organization?
IRS Rules, Conditions in the labor market, Current economic situations, and competition from other companies.
What are the 3 types of plans that OSHA requires organizations to develop?
Injury and Illness prevention plan, An emergency response plan, and a fire prevention plan.
What does the Glass Ceiling Act say are the 3 barriers to women advancing in the workplace?
Internal, Societal, and Governmental
Long-form Application
Is a pre-made form designed to obtain a more in-depth idea of an individual's skills or knowledge. A long form application is the most commonly used general employment application.
What is common situs picketing?
Is the result of two employers sharing a business location when one of the employers is engaged in a labor dispute with employees.
Job-Specific Employment Application
Is used by organizations needing to fill a large number of similar positions or hire individuals for similar positions on a regular basis.
What is a disadvantage to e-learning?
It has a higher dropout rate than other forms of training.
In the workplace, the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator is primarily used for what?
It is primarily used as a personality test to enable individuals to understand their personalities better and to assist staff members in appreciating how to interact with their co-workers more effectively.
Why do HR professionals need to understand the legal process?
Legislation influences the relationship between employers and employees, and the human resources professional is responsible for understanding this relationship. The legislation that will affect a business often will affect the business's relationship with its employees.
What does OSHA 300 represent?
Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
Define the McGregor X an Y Theory
McGregor X an Y Theory broke management up into two different styles, called X and Y. X-style manager is focused more on close supervision and control of employees, while the Y-style manager seeks to create a rewarding work environment for all employees.
Recency Bias
Means the interviewer compares a candidate to the most recent candidate that was interviewed.
Leniency Bias
Means the interviewer is lenient in regard to a candidate's potential weakness.
Negative Emphasis Bias
Means the interviewer places too much weight on the candidate's weakness.
Knowledge-of-Predictor Bias
Means the interviewer responds to the candidate based on knowledge about the candidate's scores on evaluative tests that were given.
What is covered by FLSA?
Minimum wage, Exemption conditions for employees, Work conditions for children under 18, and overtime.
According the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, are employers responsible for genetic information obtained on accident?
No. However, employers have no legal right to make decisions or change the employee's work situation based on the information accidentally obtained.
What act requires workplaces to maintain an environment that is "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm?
OSHA
Stereotyping Bias
Occurs when an interviewer bases a personal opinion about a candidate on a stereotype of the candidate rather than evaluating the candidate as objectively as possible.
Cultural Noise Bias
Occurs when the candidate responds with pointed answers that are aimed at making the interviewer happy rather than answering in a natural way.
Halo Bias
Occurs when the interviewer considers only one quality of the candidate over his other qualities, such as shyness that might detract from the candidate's true record of achievement.
Non-verbal Bias
Occurs when the interviewer is over-influenced by body language instead of the candidate's responses.
The WARN Act was designed to do what?
Offer rights for workers who have been laid off.
Which part of a SWOT analysis reflects the external environment?
Opportunities & Threats
What are some examples of a benefit accrual plan?
Paid time off, Vacation time, & sick time.
What standard budget responsibilities does HR have?
Payroll taxes, travel expenses, repairs and maintenance, & employee benefits.
What is the federal policy regarding polygraph testing of federal employees?
Polygraph tests are allowed among federal defense contractors but my only be administered to those who will be working in the defense-related jobs.
What is required in the role of the human resources professional when considering unique employee needs?
Recognizing that the most effective employees are those who are able to balance their work with situations outside of work.
The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Process (UGESP) requires that testing be focused on what?
Reliability & Validity
General Employment Application
Requests information related to employment history, education, and overall background.
What does the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act establish guidelines for?
Retaining and reporting employee identification records.
When supporting a huge business initiative that will add 90 new positions in 90 days, what is HR's first best course of action in supporting the initiative?
Review all job descriptions, current salaries & benefits, and existing policies to support the initiative.
What is secondary risk?
Risk created by a risk management tactic.
What are some of the collective bargaining strategies?
Single-unit bargaining, Parallel bargaining, Multi-employer bargaining, and Multi-Unit bargaining
Define Succession Planning
Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing new leaders who can replace old leaders when they leave, retire or die. In business, succession planning entails developing internal people with the potential to fill key business leadership positions in the company.
What are the four categories of intervention, according to Cummings and Worley?
Techno-structural, Human Resource Management, Human Process, and Strategic.
What did the Herzberg Motivation Hygiene Theory conclude?
That giving employees the opportunity to excel in something will bring overall success to the entire company.
The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 applies to what kind of organization?
The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 applies specifically to federal contractors, making at least $100,000.
Why was The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act created?
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was created specifically to prevent American businesses from bribing foreign governments.
What is the human resource professional's strategic role in organizations within a company or corporation?
The HR professional is expected to encourage employees in their strengths, and when necessary, help employees in building their strengths.
How do conditions in the labor market affect a company?
The conditions in the labor market can influence the available candidates for open positions in a company.
What is adverse impact?
The phrase adverse impact or unintentional discrimination refers to the selection rate of the a protected class being less than 80% of the selection rate of the highest group.
What is organization development?
The process by which a human resources professional analyzes the elements of an organization's makeup and considers opportunities for improvement.
What is the purpose of total rewards strategy?
The purpose is one of reviewing the budget and finding out how much of the budget is available for establishing rewards that will retain employees.
What is the purpose of establishing required qualities of reliability and validity?
To avoid discrimination against protected classes.
What are the HR professional's primary role in assisting a department with conducting an effective interview?
To offer any requested advice on preparing for and setting up interviews.
What is the purpose of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act?
To require that employers report workplace injuries as a result of sharp objects and consider replacement objects to prevent further injuries. The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act does not require that organizations to remove specified sharp objects but instead recommend the replacement of dangerous sharp objects.
The Training Adjustment Assistance program was designed for what?
To specifically provide assistance to employees who have lost their jobs due to a rise in the number of imports. In other words, when import levels shift and companies in the US begin importing items that were previously manufactured here, the manufacturing might close as a result leaving employees without jobs.
True or False: During a lawful economic strike, employers have the right to hire employees to replace the striking employees.
True
True or False: a sit-down strike is illegal
True
Contrast Bias
Unconsciously contrasting other candidates with the first candidate interviewed.
The FLSA retains a certification of age for all employees for how long?
Until their employment is terminated.
Define golden handcuffs.
Used to refer to benefits, typically deferred payments, provided by an employer to discourage an employee from taking employment elsewhere.
What is the first step that must be taken for an idea to be presented as a bill to congress?
When an idea for a bill originates from an individual or business outside of Congress, the idea must first be submitted to a member of congress (or MOC). This MOC may be either a senator or representative.
When is a company required to pay their employee more than the federal minimum wage?
When state minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, the company is required to pay the state minimum wage over the federal .
What do Workers Compensation Laws state in regards to employer responsibility?
Workers compensation laws state that employers are responsible for any work-related injuries or problems that employees sustain on the job.
Risk areas that the human resource professionals are responsible for considering include?
Workplace privacy, legal compliance, safety and health, and business continuity.
Transactional Leadership Style:
a style of leadership that focuses on supervision, organization, and performance; transactional leadership is a style of leadership in which leaders promote compliance by followers through both rewards and punishments.
Transformational Leadership Style:
a style of leadership where a leader works with subordinates to identify needed change, creating a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executing the change in tandem with committed members of a group.
Democratic Leadership Style:
a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process.
FA#3: Learning and Development
aligns organizational business needs with employees' competencies , knowledge, and skills, effectively closing the gap between them. HR demonstrates value by identifying and creating learning opportunities that increase employee capability and organizational knowledge
FA#14: U.S. Employment Law and Regulations
deals with the knowledge and application of all relevant laws and regulations in the United States relating to employment. These provisions set the parameters and limitations overall. HR demonstrates value by ensuring the organization's compliance with laws and regulations on both domestically and globally (including extra-territorially)
FA#6: Organizational
deals with the overall structure and functionality of the organization - that is, measuring the effectiveness and growth of people and processes from long-and-short term perspectives, and leading necessary organizational change initiatives. HR demonstrates value by aligning the organization's vision, mission, and goals with day to day operational activities, including organizational design, development, performance measures, and standards
FA#9: Technology and Data
deals with the use of tools, technologies, and systems that support the gathering, analysis, and reporting of workforce information, as well as effective and efficient collaboration and communication throughout the organization. HR demonstrates value by developing knowledge about technology uses, trends, and innovations applicable to HR's strategic goals
FA#7: Workforce Management
enables the organization to meet its talent needs and close critical skill gaps using data-driven processes (e.g., workforce planning, succession planning) that inform HR initiatives. HR demonstrates value by facilitating financial and operational growth, continuity, or stability
FA#1: Talent Acquisition and Retention
encompasses all activities involved in building and maintaining a workforce. HR demonstrated value by developing, implementing, and measuring individual and organizational activities programs for sourcing, recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, orientation and retention
Total Rewards
encompasses direct and indirect remuneration approaches that employers use to attract, recognize and retain workers. HR demonstrates value by designing and administering systems and programs (e.g. base pay, benefits, incentive pay, leave, perquisites, retirement) that support recruitment and retention efforts.
FA#5: Structure of the HR Function
encompasses the people related processes, theories and activities used to deliver HR services that create and drive organizational effectiveness. HR demonstrates value by selecting the appropriate delivery model (e.g. Center of excellence/COE, generalist, shared services) with an understanding of stakeholder needs and the impact of decisions on the overall workforce.
Diversity and Inclusion
encompasses the qualities , life experiences, personalities, education, skills, competencies, and collaboration of the many different types of people who are necessary to propel an organization to success. HR demonstrates value by creating opportunities that leverage the human experience to address organizational needs or solve issues on a global basis
FA#10: HR in the Global Context
focuses on organizational growth and workforce-related issues and impacts, viewed from domestic, multinational, transnational, and global perspectives. HR demonstrates value by understanding how global PEST factors influence business decisions and by applying this knowledge to day-to-day HR activities, policy creation, and business solution recommendations
FA#12: Risk Management
identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks (defined is ISO 31000 as the effect of uncertainty on objectives), followed by the coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realizations of opportunities
FA#15: Business and HR Strategy
involves organizational planning to achieve success and create value for stakeholders. HR demonstrates value by contributing its perspective and expertise to development of the enterprise strategy, and by developing, implementing, and evaluating an HR strategy aligned with the organization's goals, values, and tactics, as defined in the enterprise strategy.
Employee Relations
refers to any dealings between the organization and its employees regarding the terms and conditions of employment. HR demonstrates value by ensuring that the appropriate framework, mindset, and practices are in place to embrace or react or respond to the employment relationship, including relationships with employee representatives
FA#13: Corporate Social Responsibility
represents the organization's commitment to operate its business in an ethical and sustainable manner. HR demonstrates value by understanding the societal impacts to business decisions and using this insight to improve the quality of life for the community--People, organization, and planet--through philanthropy, ethics, and governance, and environmentally sound practices, respectively
FA#2: Employee Engagement
solidifies the connection among employee, manager, and the organization's mission, vision, values, and goals. HR demonstrates value by understanding organizational perspectives, developing effective strategies to address appropriate expectations for performance and behavior from employees at all levels
BC#1: Leadership and Navigation
the ability to direct and contribute to initiatives and processes within the organization
BC#8: Communication
the ability to effectively exchange information with stakeholders
BC#2: Ethical Practice
the ability to integrate core values, integrity and accountability throughout all organizational and business practices
Critical Evaluation
the ability to interpret information with which to make business decisions and recommendations
BC#4: Relationship Management
the ability to manage interactions to provide service and to support the organization
BC#6: Consultation
the ability to provide guidance to organizational stakeholders
BC#3: Business Acumen
the ability to understand and apply information with which to contribute to the organization's strategic plan
BC#7: Global and Cultural Effectiveness
the ability to value and to consider the perspectives and backgrounds of all parties in global business
