HR Management DSST Sample Test 1

What is the federal minimum wage for nonexempt employees as of July 24, 2009?

$7.25 per hour

According to the estimate by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, how costly is the impact of alcoholism, taking into consideration lower productivity, treatment, premature death, accidents, crime and law enforcement?

$90 billion

What percentage of costs of nonfinancial corporations is made up of wage and salary payments?

60 percent

Which of the following refers to the process of helping an employee identify his or her long-term professional goals?

Career planning

Which of the following is true about the use of tests used in staffing?

Common mental ability tests measure general intelligence, verbal skills, numerical skills, and clerical skills.

The following is the best explanation of long-term disability (LTD) insurance.

Covers employees who are disabled six months or longer

The following statement is true about ethics and human resource management?

Ethical behavior adapts and changes in response to social norms.

For employee development, which rating method is preferred?

critical incidents or behaviorally anchored rating scales

These are some of the questions that an employer may not ask a job candidate?

1. How old are you? 2. Do you have any children? 3. Where are you from?

The following are true about whistle-blowing?

1. OSHA prohibits any person from discharging or in any manner retaliating against any employee because the employee has exercised rights under the so-called whistle-blower act. 2. OSHA is the governing body that will conduct the investigation. 3. Whistle-blowing is highly emotional and stressful to the person.

The following is true of worker's compensation?

1. Payments replace lost wages while an employee cannot work. 2. The scale of benefits is related to the nature of the injury. 3. Payments are made to cover medical bills.

What typically happens when collective bargaining reaches an impasse?

1. Workers strike. 2. Mediation is called in. 3. Management locks out employees.

All of the following are true about the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)

1. applies to every employer 2. has severe penalties for breaking this law 3. requires employers to verify employee's identity and authorization to work

Which of the following are major factors accounting for the entrance of more women into the workforce since 1970?

1. changes in education 2. technology advances 3. changes in self-perception of women

When designing a training program, all the following are key strategic considerations

1. evaluation methods and measures 2. link to company strategy 3. types of learning methods

The following are core components of learning a skill

1. goal setting 2. behavior modeling 3. feedback

The following are typically included in a U.S. expatriate compensation package?

1. housing differential 2. cost-of-living adjustment 3. storage of U.S. household goods

The following are all ways that organizations can try in order to avoid layoffs

1. institute hiring freezes 2. retrain employees 3. reduce working hours

All of the following are key influential factors that determine wages

1. labor market conditions 2. legislation 3. an organization's ability to pay

All the following are reasons training resources will increase in the future

1. need to train minority candidates 2. needs caused by an increasingly internationally competitive market 3. need to train unskilled and undereducated youth for entry-level positions

the following are examples of repatriation problem areas

1. personal finances 2. readjustment to the corporate structure 3. reacclimation to the American lifestyle (reverse culture shock)

In general, employee discipline is necessary for all of the following problems

1. poor performance 2. heavy absenteeism 3. rule violations

The following are ways for companies to attract and retain women as well as people with disabilities...

1. provide alternative career paths 2. offer extended leaves 3. have flexible scheduling practices

All of the following are exempt from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

1. religious organizations 2. employers connected with a Native American reservation 3. private clubs

The following are all human resource management activities

1. retention 2. managing change 3. staffing

the following are common types of strike?

1. sympathy strike 2. economic strike 3. unfair-labor-practice strike

All of the following are components of an effective policy to prevent sexual harassment?

1. the CEO stating that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. 2. training of all managers and supervisors to recognize and respond to complaints. 3. confidential investigation of every harassment claim.

The nature of jobs may change for all the following reasons

1. timing: doing different jobs at different times of the year 2. incumbency, that is, because of the person in a particular job 3. environment

The following are primary goals of an union?

1. to increase union membership 2. to influence organizations 3. to increase employee participation in running organizations

What is the minimum age that an employee can legally operate a vehicle at work or use a power-driven meat slicer?

18 yrs old

On school days, what is the maximum number of hours 14 and 15 year olds may work?

3 hrs

Benefits make up what approximate percentage of annual expenditures?

30 percent

What is true about the workplace safety and security function of human relations management (HRM)?

A background investigation of an employee is within scope of this function.

A supervisor is classified as what line of supervision?

A first-line manager

What is a mobility premium?

A payment to an employee for each move overseas, back home, or to another foreign country assignment

Which of the following best describes performance management for expatriate managers?

Acceptable protocols may have unintended consequences in another culture.

The economic advantages of the division of labor were first pointed out by which of the following?

Adam Smith

Which of the following accurately describes staffing in businesses?

An organization's stage of development is an important consideration in staffing strategy.

The following accurately describes employment-at-will?

Employment-at-will is primarily a matter of federal law.

Which of the following major federal regulatory agency/agencies enforce(s) nondiscrimination laws?

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

Which of the following is true about OSHA?

Federal, state and local government workers are excluded from OSHA enforcement.

the following is a proper question to ask a potential employee in an interview?

Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Which of the following is true about holiday pay?

Holiday pay is not regulated by federal law.

What is ethnocentrism recruiting?

Human resource information system software

The following is true about employment interviews?

Interviewers are subject to a variety of nonobjective factors.

All of the following are true about workforce utilization

It is measured by race.

What is progressive discipline?

It proceeds from a verbal warning and can end in dismissal.

Which is the connection between unions and pay and incentive systems?

Management and unions working together on pay and incentive systems reassures employees.

The following explains why wellness programs are difficult to measure?

Most do not use control groups.

the following is true about training and development?

New employee orientation is often the most neglected opportunity to train and develop employees.

The following is true about the compensation system?

Pay policies are critical because they affect each employee.

Communication skills are classified as which of the following?

People skills

The following is considered a major problem with performance management systems?

Performance appraisals are done too infrequently.

Which of the following best defines the purpose of the training and development function?

Planned programs focused on improving performance with measurable change at the individual, group, and/or organizational levels

What is the cause of the rating error called a "halo error"?

Ratings are made on the basis of widespread impressions of the rate.

the following terms refers to states that allow workers to be employed without being required to join a union?

Right to work state

Which statement is most true about goal setting?

Setting goals is the most effective way to raise a trainee's motivation.

Which federal law provides retirement payments for a worker and spouse, based on an age schedule and dependent upon past earnings?

Social Security Act of 1935

The following is true about orientation for new employees.

The new employee's experiences during orientation can have a profound impact on his or her career.

The following describes the current trend in pay?

The number of employees eligible for bonuses is increasing.

The following accurately describes job evaluations?

The point-factor method is an example of job evaluation.

Which of the following is an accurate description of workplace due process?

To be effective, the HR department needs dispute resolution expertise.

What best describes the Pygmalion effect?

Trainers get the kind of performance they expect from trainees.

Under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) up to how many weeks of unpaid leave may an employee take?

Up to 12 weeks

The following is the law enacted by Congress to promote fair employment

Voting Equality for Women of 1919

Which act affirmed the right of all employees to engage in union activities?

Wagner Act of 1935

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects which group of employees?

ages 40 and older

Which of the following is an example of on-the-job training?

apprenticeships

Which of the following best describes how HRM contributes to profits?

by creating and implementing a comprehensive staffing strategy, through facilitating the process of managing change, and by creating policies and procedures that increase retention

What do most companies do with the group life insurance benefit for an employee who terminates?

cancel the benefit

The following trends describe the shift toward new forms of organizations?

command, control, and compartmentalization logic

To improve performance, when is it ideal to focus on performance management?

daily

The following most accurately summarizes the things that managers must do well in regard to effective performance management?

define, facilitate, and encourage performance

When are 14 and 15 year olds allowed to work 40 hours a week?

during school vacations and the summer

When does most turnover occur?

during the first few months of hiring

What is the best example of an advantage of a team-based incentive?

encourages cooperation among employees

The best definition of an exempt employee is someone who is exempt

from overtime provisions of the law.

When is feedback most effective?

immediately after the questionable action or behavior

In general, where should employers first look when recruiting?

internal candidates

What is typically the first step in the process of employee recruitment and selection?

job analysis

The following is an example of an indirect compensation benefit?

life and disability insurance

Studying job requirements using the structured questionnaire

makes a relationship between the analyst and the respondent impossible.

The following is an example of adverse impact?

mandating a minimum height requirement of six feet for bus drivers

The following best describes the phases of training?

needs assessment, implementation, and evaluation

Which best describes the preparedness of high school graduates for work?

not keeping pace and don't have the right skills

When do most companies conduct formal performance appraisals?

once or twice a year

What is the biggest challenge for Americans working abroad?

personal and family adjustment problems

What is an example of how to conduct an effective performance feedback meeting?

point out the link between performance and rewards

What is the best means to obtain information about a past employer's willingness to rehire a job applicant?

reference check

The first three levels of evaluating training are reaction, learning, and behavior. What is the fourth level?

results

Each employee has the right to do the following?

see one's employment file

What is the most common workplace injury?

sprain and strain

The following is a key input into the HR planning process?

strategic planning b. job analysis c. tactical planning

The following best defines reliability in relation to information obtained during staffing?

the consistency of scores over time across different raters and tests

The following is an example of situational test used when making staffing decisions?

the in-basket test

The following are considerations when choosing an approach for job analysis

the length of time the position has existed

Which phrase best describes what productivity measures in human resources?

the output of goods and services in relation to the input of labor, material, and equipment

Which of the following is a warning sign that may predict violence at work?

verbal intimidation

This is a team compensation incentive most appropriate?

when jobs are highly interrelated

Under what circumstances can a union be decertified?

when the majority of employees within the bargaining unit vote to rescind the union's status as their collective bargaining agent