Ethical Practice Quiz
A global company benchmarks against similar companies that have recently faced costly and embarrassing cybersecurity breaches resulting in the loss of customer confidence. In response, the CEO directs the IT department with enhancing data accuracy, security, and privacy. Additionally, Risk management is tasked with implementing improved governance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement parameters. Finally, HR is charged with strengthening procedures around acquisition of staff, policy creation, the code of ethics, and communication. The three departments all agree that employees must possess a work ethic, motivation, and integrity. Where should the HR manager look to find potential employees with skills in cybersecurity? Answers A. Consider individuals who have recent criminal records related to Internet security and offer them state-of-the-art equipment. B. Search for individuals with any computer-related degree. C. Look on "dark" websites that attract cybercriminals and promise them large hiring bonuses. D. Recruit former military Internet workers who are attracted by a higher level of pay and flexibility.
D.
A global company benchmarks against similar companies that have recently faced costly and embarrassing cybersecurity breaches resulting in the loss of customer confidence. In response, the CEO directs the IT department with enhancing data accuracy, security, and privacy. Additionally, Risk management is tasked with implementing improved governance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement parameters. Finally, HR is charged with strengthening procedures around acquisition of staff, policy creation, the code of ethics, and communication. The three departments all agree that employees must possess a work ethic, motivation, and integrity. How can HR best incorporate protective measures for the organization based on the CEO's mandate? A. Implement a robust pre-employment screening process that combines background checks, non-disclosure agreement, and employment verification for any position with access to sensitive information. B. Change the recruiting strategy to target only military veterans, college graduates with an IT-related degree, or candidates referred by a trusted source. C. Recommend IT create a separate security profile for non-employees such as independent contractors and vendors that would limit their access to sensitive data. D. Create a skills assessment to be administered to all job applicants applying into positions with access to secure systems.
A.
A global company benchmarks against similar companies that have recently faced costly and embarrassing cybersecurity breaches resulting in the loss of customer confidence. In response, the CEO directs the IT department with enhancing data accuracy, security, and privacy. Additionally, Risk management is tasked with implementing improved governance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement parameters. Finally, HR is charged with strengthening procedures around acquisition of staff, policy creation, the code of ethics, and communication. The three departments all agree that employees must possess a work ethic, motivation, and integrity. In order to determine the full scope of enterprise risk that exists, which areas should HR review in an IT audit? A. Compensation structure B. Links between business and information strategy and business continuity C. Ways to reduce the amount of sensitive data that must be protected D. Reasons for the lack of outsourcing to third parties with deeper IT experience
B.
A mid-sized company has a strict attendance policy stating that any absence of three days or more without contact from the employee is considered job abandonment and the employee is subject to termination. The organization has experienced significant growth over the years, and the increase in the employee population has prompted stricter policies, which some staff view as unnecessarily controlling. One manager's best employee has been absent without contact for four days and calls in. The employee indicates he had some unexpected personal problems involving his teenage child. The employee did not call earlier due to being distraught, occupied with the situation, and also a bit embarrassed. According to the policy, the employee must be terminated, but the manager is reluctant to do so because this is the department's best employee. This is the first violation, and the serious family issues could escalate if the employee is terminated. Senior leadership has recently taken a tough stance on consistently adhering to company policies and practices due to complaints of favoritism. The manager is hesitant to go to HR for fear they will recommend termination. Instead the manager seeks counsel from a member of the senior leadership team who is a relative and who supports the decision to not terminate the employee. When the employee is not terminated, an anonymous complaint is filed via the employee hotline system. It alleges discrimination and favoritism; there is also a comment about too many new policies. The employee is named, and the complainant demands that other employees terminated under the no-call, no-show policy be reinstated. The protocol requires that HR review all discrimination complaints. Which is the first course of action HR should take? A. HR should inform the president of the issue and partner with her on the next steps for corrective action. B. HR should immediately suspend the employee without pay due to the violation of the company's attendance policy. C. HR should review the employee's performance records and use the ratings to determine the outcome. D. HR should immediately terminate the employee due to the violation of the company's attendance policy.
A.
A recently promoted HR manager is transferred to a remote facility, due to several complaints of inappropriate behavior and favoritism between the plant manager and the former HR manager. The complaints range from allegations of an affair between the two to poor performance and stealing company property. The head office leaders are highly sensitive to creating an ethical culture and have asked that the new HR manager report back on any discovered issues with the plant manager. This makes the HR manager uncomfortable, because she is trying her best to balance developing a relationship with the plant manager with trying to complete the investigation. The new HR manager begins an investigation and learns that the plant manager believes two female employees in the accounting department reported the theft and the affair. When the HR manager speaks with these employees, they share the belief that they are being retaliated against. Although they were rated as above-average performers, they have been given only minimal wage increases. The investigation identified theft of a number of items by the plant manager. The items are not expensive, but their value is not minor. Additionally, it was learned that the plant manager is actively undermining the new HR manager's authority by telling all managers to ignore any HR recommendations. How should the HR manager handle the evidence of theft by the plant manager? A. Provide a summary of the investigation including the evidence collected back to headquarters. B. Schedule an interview so the plant manager is given an opportunity to respond to the evidence. C. Recommend hiring a private investigator to assume the investigation so it is viewed by the plant employees as fair and objective. D. Offer the plant manager an opportunity to reimburse the company for the missing inventory in exchange for receiving a written reprimand.
A.
An HR manager is contacted via telephone by an employee concerned about the need for the replacement of protective equipment currently being used. The employee indicates that the equipment is damaged upon reporting to the supervisor, the concerns have not been addressed. Compliance with industry safety standards is reported publicly on an ongoing basis. During the conversation, the spouse of the employee can be heard speaking loudly in the background expressing dissatisfaction and posts comments on social media. The HR manager and the public relations department have been notified of the postings. The HR manager contacts the employee to request the posts be removed which further incites the spouse and additional comments are posted. The spouse requests to meet with the leadership of the firm to discuss. What is the best route for the HR manager to take to decrease the current level of anxiety for the employee and the spouse? A. Set the employee's expectation as to what the immediate next steps will be and provide a preliminary idea of the timing of the process. B. Coordinate a better time to speak with the employee in person and in a private setting to eliminate the involvement of the spouse. C. Offer to include the spouse in the discussion to ensure that both are clear about what is being done to investigate the concern. D. Request to resume the conversation after the employee calms down, as they are too upset to effectively communicate.
A.
An HR manager works for a large university. One day, an adult student comes in to claim sexual harassment by a married professor. A week later, another student comes in with a similar claim. Both students are currently in classes taught by the professor. University policy prohibits relationships between employees and students who they teach. Punishment for violation of the policy is determined by the dean of the academic division. While talking to the second student, the HR manager discovers that the students have coordinated their stories. The second student admits that both relationships were consensual and no sexual harassment occurred. Once it was discovered the professor was having multiple affairs, both of the students felt betrayed. The professor's spouse contacts the HR manager and requests that no adverse action be taken against the professor because the professor is in the country on a work visa sponsored by the university. How should the HR manager respond? A. Explain to the spouse that the HR manager is not at liberty to disclose information. B. Talk to the dean about the concerns of the professor's spouse. C. Listen to the concerns of the professor's spouse. D. Offer to meet with the professor to discuss the different disciplinary actions that may be taken.
A.
An HR manager works for a large university. One day, an adult student comes in to claim sexual harassment by a married professor. A week later, another student comes in with a similar claim. Both students are currently in classes taught by the professor. University policy prohibits relationships between employees and students who they teach. Punishment for violation of the policy is determined by the dean of the academic division. While talking to the second student, the HR manager discovers that the students have coordinated their stories. The second student admits that both relationships were consensual and no sexual harassment occurred. Once it was discovered the professor was having multiple affairs, both of the students felt betrayed. Which action should the HR manager take first based on the information provided by the students? A. Interview the professor about the allegations. B. Ask other students in the professor's classes about inappropriate behavior they may have witnessed. C. Speak to both complainants together to identify the level of collaboration in their statements. D. Question the head of the department to see if other claims have been made against the professor.
A.
How is a written code of conduct used in today's work environment? A. As a decision-making tool to guide employees and their actions B. To eliminate the need for performance standards C. To protect an organization against lawsuits from shareholders D. To highlight cultural differences that need to be addressed
A.
A global company benchmarks against similar companies that have recently faced costly and embarrassing cybersecurity breaches resulting in the loss of customer confidence. In response, the CEO directs the IT department with enhancing data accuracy, security, and privacy. Additionally, Risk management is tasked with implementing improved governance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement parameters. Finally, HR is charged with strengthening procedures around acquisition of staff, policy creation, the code of ethics, and communication. The three departments all agree that employees must possess a work ethic, motivation, and integrity. Which technology policies should the HR manager recommend that the company implement? A. The company must approve all personal devices the employee uses at home. B. The company can review all charges and information on a company-provided device. C. All employees must use their own electronic devices for work. D. Employees may use devices at any time.
B.
A mid-sized company has a strict attendance policy stating that any absence of three days or more without contact from the employee is considered job abandonment and the employee is subject to termination. The organization has experienced significant growth over the years, and the increase in the employee population has prompted stricter policies, which some staff view as unnecessarily controlling. One manager's best employee has been absent without contact for four days and calls in. The employee indicates he had some unexpected personal problems involving his teenage child. The employee did not call earlier due to being distraught, occupied with the situation, and also a bit embarrassed. According to the policy, the employee must be terminated, but the manager is reluctant to do so because this is the department's best employee. This is the first violation, and the serious family issues could escalate if the employee is terminated. Senior leadership has recently taken a tough stance on consistently adhering to company policies and practices due to complaints of favoritism. The manager is hesitant to go to HR for fear they will recommend termination. Instead the manager seeks counsel from a member of the senior leadership team who is a relative and who supports the decision to not terminate the employee. When the employee is not terminated, an anonymous complaint is filed via the employee hotline system. It alleges discrimination and favoritism; there is also a comment about too many new policies. The employee is named, and the complainant demands that other employees terminated under the no-call, no-show policy be reinstated. The protocol requires that HR review all discrimination complaints. Which would be the best way for HR to address the anonymous complaint? A. Identify the author who made the anonymous complaint, and then send an e-mail to her with an update on the situation. B. Inform the employee and the manager that a complaint has been lodged and that there will be an internal investigation. C. Contact the training department to launch new training on the attendance policy for all employees to attend. D. Determine that the senior leader made the best decision due to the mitigating circumstances, and inform all staff via the employee intranet.
B.
An HR manager works for a large university. One day, an adult student comes in to claim sexual harassment by a married professor. A week later, another student comes in with a similar claim. Both students are currently in classes taught by the professor. University policy prohibits relationships between employees and students who they teach. Punishment for violation of the policy is determined by the dean of the academic division. While talking to the second student, the HR manager discovers that the students have coordinated their stories. The second student admits that both relationships were consensual and no sexual harassment occurred. Once it was discovered the professor was having multiple affairs, both of the students felt betrayed. Which action should the HR manager take to convince the students that claiming sexual harassment is inappropriate? A. Share the school's sexual harassment policy with the students. B. Host one-on-one discussions with each student explaining sexual harassment and answering their questions. C. Share examples of previous sexual harassment cases to demonstrate the difference. D. Provide data on how many false sexual harassment claims are made on campus each year.
B.
HR does everything correctly in regard to an ethics investigation that it takes the lead on, yet it arrives at an incorrect conclusion because the person deemed less credible was actually the one telling the truth and the person deemed more credible was actually lying. Which is a risk in this scenario? A. Criminal activity is not reported to the police. B. Work relationships become strained or teams become fractured. C. HR discussions about the incident lead to differing opinions among the general staff. D. An allegation filed by a government body is improperly dismissed.
B.
Which is the best example of authenticity in the workplace? A. An HR manager abides by social and business norms and avoids conflicts of interest or bribery. B. An HR manager serves as an ethical agent by calling out ethics issues to superiors and subordinates alike. C. An HR manager uses prior sales training to influence people with a winning smile and positive attitude. D. An HR manager uses covering to better relate to the ingroup and has strong relationships with many of these peers.
B.
A recently promoted HR manager is transferred to a remote facility, due to several complaints of inappropriate behavior and favoritism between the plant manager and the former HR manager. The complaints range from allegations of an affair between the two to poor performance and stealing company property. The head office leaders are highly sensitive to creating an ethical culture and have asked that the new HR manager report back on any discovered issues with the plant manager. This makes the HR manager uncomfortable, because she is trying her best to balance developing a relationship with the plant manager with trying to complete the investigation. The new HR manager begins an investigation and learns that the plant manager believes two female employees in the accounting department reported the theft and the affair. When the HR manager speaks with these employees, they share the belief that they are being retaliated against. Although they were rated as above-average performers, they have been given only minimal wage increases. The investigation identified theft of a number of items by the plant manager. The items are not expensive, but their value is not minor. Additionally, it was learned that the plant manager is actively undermining the new HR manager's authority by telling all managers to ignore any HR recommendations. What steps should the HR manager take to address the direction by the plant manager to ignore HR's recommendations? A. Advise the head office that she is being retaliated against by the plant manager because of the investigation. B. Call corporate immediately, advising them of the situation; then follow the recommendations that they provide. C. Further investigate the statements to determine the full context of the situation before taking action. D. Document the conversation and file it in case it is needed in the future.
C.
An HR manager is contacted via telephone by an employee concerned about the need for the replacement of protective equipment currently being used. The employee indicates that the equipment is damaged upon reporting to the supervisor, the concerns have not been addressed. Compliance with industry safety standards is reported publicly on an ongoing basis. During the conversation, the spouse of the employee can be heard speaking loudly in the background expressing dissatisfaction and posts comments on social media. The HR manager and the public relations department have been notified of the postings. The HR manager contacts the employee to request the posts be removed which further incites the spouse and additional comments are posted. The spouse requests to meet with the leadership of the firm to discuss. What action can the HR manager take to demonstrate that the employee's concerns are being taken seriously? A. Remind the employee that safety is a core value in the firm, and therefore, if necessary, the equipment will be replaced after inspection. B. Due to the unprofessional behavior of the employee and the employee's spouse, HR should dismiss the concerns. C. Coordinate an inspection of the equipment and inform the employee that any immediate safety issues will be addressed. D. Thoroughly document the employee's concerns and send them to the supervisor and the employee with recommended next steps.
C.
An HR manager is contacted via telephone by an employee concerned about the need for the replacement of protective equipment currently being used. The employee indicates that the equipment is damaged upon reporting to the supervisor, the concerns have not been addressed. Compliance with industry safety standards is reported publicly on an ongoing basis. During the conversation, the spouse of the employee can be heard speaking loudly in the background expressing dissatisfaction and posts comments on social media. The HR manager and the public relations department have been notified of the postings. The HR manager contacts the employee to request the posts be removed which further incites the spouse and additional comments are posted. The spouse requests to meet with the leadership of the firm to discuss. What approach can the HR manager take to address the request for a meeting with the leadership team? A. Acknowledge the request from the spouse, telling them to have the employee contact HR with details. B. Meet with the employee, the spouse, and the supervisor to discuss the concern and to collaborate on next steps. C. Clearly explain to the employee why a meeting with the spouse will not be necessary to resolve the concern submitted. D. Inform the employee that a meeting will be scheduled once the comments are removed from the social media site.
C.
An HR manager is contacted via telephone by an employee concerned about the need for the replacement of protective equipment currently being used. The employee indicates that the equipment is damaged upon reporting to the supervisor, the concerns have not been addressed. Compliance with industry safety standards is reported publicly on an ongoing basis. During the conversation, the spouse of the employee can be heard speaking loudly in the background expressing dissatisfaction and posts comments on social media. The HR manager and the public relations department have been notified of the postings. The HR manager contacts the employee to request the posts be removed which further incites the spouse and additional comments are posted. The spouse requests to meet with the leadership of the firm to discuss. What practices could the HR manager implement to protect the reputation of the organization? A. Speak with the spouse directly, sharing the process that will be taken to ensure safe working conditions for all employees. B. Suspend the employee until the spouse's comments are removed, and, if they are not, terminate employment. C. Begin the investigation of the safety concern, monitor future postings, and make no further requests to remove the comments. D. Accept the spouse's request for a meeting to discuss the concerns and to ensure that it is clear that the firm is in compliance.
C.
An HR manager works for a large university. One day, an adult student comes in to claim sexual harassment by a married professor. A week later, another student comes in with a similar claim. Both students are currently in classes taught by the professor. University policy prohibits relationships between employees and students who they teach. Punishment for violation of the policy is determined by the dean of the academic division. While talking to the second student, the HR manager discovers that the students have coordinated their stories. The second student admits that both relationships were consensual and no sexual harassment occurred. Once it was discovered the professor was having multiple affairs, both of the students felt betrayed. Which action should the HR manager take to discourage inappropriate professor-student relationships in the future? A. Set up an anonymous help line for students who believe they have been victims of sexual harassment. B. Start an awareness campaign by creating posters with the policy to display on campus. C. Hold regular faculty and staff training on sexual harassment and university policies. D. Require sexual harassment training for any faculty who receive complaints of sexual harassment.
C.
A mid-sized company has a strict attendance policy stating that any absence of three days or more without contact from the employee is considered job abandonment and the employee is subject to termination. The organization has experienced significant growth over the years, and the increase in the employee population has prompted stricter policies, which some staff view as unnecessarily controlling. One manager's best employee has been absent without contact for four days and calls in. The employee indicates he had some unexpected personal problems involving his teenage child. The employee did not call earlier due to being distraught, occupied with the situation, and also a bit embarrassed. According to the policy, the employee must be terminated, but the manager is reluctant to do so because this is the department's best employee. This is the first violation, and the serious family issues could escalate if the employee is terminated. Senior leadership has recently taken a tough stance on consistently adhering to company policies and practices due to complaints of favoritism. The manager is hesitant to go to HR for fear they will recommend termination. Instead the manager seeks counsel from a member of the senior leadership team who is a relative and who supports the decision to not terminate the employee. When the employee is not terminated, an anonymous complaint is filed via the employee hotline system. It alleges discrimination and favoritism; there is also a comment about too many new policies. The employee is named, and the complainant demands that other employees terminated under the no-call, no-show policy be reinstated. The protocol requires that HR review all discrimination complaints. Which is the appropriate outcome for the attendance policy violation? A. Immediately terminate both the manager and the employee for violating company policy to reinforce leadership's focus on consistency. B. The employee should be suspended without pay to take time to think about his behavior. C. HR should factor in the circumstances in this particular situation and recommend that the employee contact the company's employee assistance program for counseling. D. The employee should be terminated per the company policy, to reinforce a consistent focus on policies that have been adopted and put in place.
D.
A mid-sized company has a strict attendance policy stating that any absence of three days or more without contact from the employee is considered job abandonment and the employee is subject to termination. The organization has experienced significant growth over the years, and the increase in the employee population has prompted stricter policies, which some staff view as unnecessarily controlling. One manager's best employee has been absent without contact for four days and calls in. The employee indicates he had some unexpected personal problems involving his teenage child. The employee did not call earlier due to being distraught, occupied with the situation, and also a bit embarrassed. According to the policy, the employee must be terminated, but the manager is reluctant to do so because this is the department's best employee. This is the first violation, and the serious family issues could escalate if the employee is terminated. Senior leadership has recently taken a tough stance on consistently adhering to company policies and practices due to complaints of favoritism. The manager is hesitant to go to HR for fear they will recommend termination. Instead the manager seeks counsel from a member of the senior leadership team who is a relative and who supports the decision to not terminate the employee. When the employee is not terminated, an anonymous complaint is filed via the employee hotline system. It alleges discrimination and favoritism; there is also a comment about too many new policies. The employee is named, and the complainant demands that other employees terminated under the no-call, no-show policy be reinstated. The protocol requires that HR review all discrimination complaints. Which next step should HR take to address the allegations that a member of senior leadership advised against following a company policy? A. Send an e-mail to the manager and the employee informing them that they violated the policy so they are not surprised by a potential investigation. B. Meet jointly with the manager and the employee, and terminate both for policy violations. C. As a member of the leadership team, HR should seek counsel from another leadership team member and ask that person to have the conversation. D. Discuss the claim directly with the President and provide an overview of the incident, with a recommendation for holding both the manager and the senior leader accountable.
D.
A recently promoted HR manager is transferred to a remote facility, due to several complaints of inappropriate behavior and favoritism between the plant manager and the former HR manager. The complaints range from allegations of an affair between the two to poor performance and stealing company property. The head office leaders are highly sensitive to creating an ethical culture and have asked that the new HR manager report back on any discovered issues with the plant manager. This makes the HR manager uncomfortable, because she is trying her best to balance developing a relationship with the plant manager with trying to complete the investigation. The new HR manager begins an investigation and learns that the plant manager believes two female employees in the accounting department reported the theft and the affair. When the HR manager speaks with these employees, they share the belief that they are being retaliated against. Although they were rated as above-average performers, they have been given only minimal wage increases. The investigation identified theft of a number of items by the plant manager. The items are not expensive, but their value is not minor. Additionally, it was learned that the plant manager is actively undermining the new HR manager's authority by telling all managers to ignore any HR recommendations. The HR manager studies the performance reviews and wage increases for all employees and finds inconsistencies that support the accounting employees' claims of retaliation. Given the HR manager's knowledge of the plant manager's behavior, what is the appropriate next step for the HR manager to take? A. Talk to the plant manager and recommend an immediate adjustment to the wages of the two people affected to avoid further problems. B. Given the more serious issues with the plant manager, choose to treat the complaint as a lower priority and not deal with it immediately. C. Inform the plant manager of the allegations and ask him to meet with HR and the employees to respond their statements D. Review the process for setting wage increases for the accounting department with the company's controller.
D.
A stock brokerage firm incents in-house brokers with trips if they generate more than $500,000 worth of sales in a particular fund that the firm currently owns 20% in. Management asks HR to comment on the program. What should HR recommend? A. Allow this practice to continue without comment as long as it has a positive effect on revenue. B. Suggest lowering the dollar amount to mitigate risks of unethical behavior or revenue loss. C. Require that this illegal practice stop to avoid potential risks of noncompliance. D. Recommend that this unethical practice stop and discuss alternative incentive plans.
D.
After meetings with different departments dealing with downsizing, the HR professional authors a document identifying affected individuals based on each departments recommendations. A longtime friend of the HR professional will be impacted. How should the HR professional handle this situation? A. Attempt to change the company's decision. B. Inform the friend of the company's plans. C. Encourage the friend's manager to inform the friend. D. Keep the workforce reduction information confidential.
D.
An organization developed a new code of conduct 18 months ago but recently discovered that employees are still not following its guidelines. Which step should the organization take to ensure that employees are following the guidelines? A. Rewrite the code of conduct to bring it into closer alignment with the actions and views of the employees, so they do not violate it as often. B. Begin strictly enforcing the code of conduct and punishing employees who refuse to take the time to understand and comply with it. C. Distribute written copies of the code of conduct to all employees and make them accessible in common areas such as break rooms. D. Review key points of the code of conduct to ensure that employees understand it, and incorporate code of conduct training into new employee orientation.
D.