HR: Exam 1

Which of the following is NOT a major reason why businesses use contingent workers? a) to reduce legal liability for employers for discrimination lawsuits b) to provide stable employment for workers with critical skills c) to reduce compensation and benefit costs d) to accommodate employee desire for flexible work scheudles

D: to accommodate employee desire for flexible work schedules

Work-life balance issues... a) are not typically a concern of mature and baby boomer employees b) affect mainly hourly employees who do not have the flexibility in their work schedules that salaried employees have c) are becoming less of a concern because men are taking over more traditionally-female caregiver roles in families d) negatively affect the average pay levels that women employees have achieved

b) affect mainly hourly employees who do not have the flexibility in their work schedules that salaried employees have

When HR is viewed negatively in an organization, the complaints are typically expressed as.. a) high-level managers being overly focused on results rather than activities b) HR managers being excessively focused on their gate keeping roles c) HR managers viewing themselves as organizational change agents d) the HR function being too heavily involved in forming organizational competitive strategy

b) HR managers being excessively focused on their gate keeping roles

The federal government's policy of ___ requires a covered employer to submit documentation of its attempts to narrow the gaps between the demographic composition of its workforce and the demographic composition of the labor markets from which it hires employees. a) preferential selection b) affirmative action c) workforce balancing d) desegregation of the workplace

b) affirmative action

The ability of an organization to compete with other organizations for a sufficient supply of human resources with the appropriate capabilities is... a) evidence of organizational efficiency b) an indicator of the HR function's effectiveness c) governed by the ability to offer job security d) one input to the environmental scanning process

b) an indicator of the HR function's effectiveness

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act requires .. a) employers to continue employee's pay while he/she is on military leave b) employees to notify their employers of their military service obligations c) employers to give preference in hiring to applicants who have served in the military d) employees who are permanently disabled as a result of their military service to be automatically enrolled in the employer's retirement program

b) employees to notify their employers of their military service obligations

The return on investment calculation shows the value of expenditures for HR activities. It also shows... a) whether the HR department is effective in meeting organizational goals b) how long it will take a particular HR activity to pay for itself c) the value added per each HR staff member d) human capital value added

b) how long it will take a particular HR activity to pay for itself

The 1991 Civil Rights Act requires that plaintiffs bringing discrimination charges must.. a) prove that the negative impact on the employee was entirely due to his/her membership in a protected class b) identify the particular employer practice being challenged and that protected class status played some role c) identify majority-group members who benefited from the illegal actions d) provide evidence of financial harm caused by the employer's actions

b) identify the particular employer practice being challenged and that protected class status played some role

Men have been hit harder by job losses in the recent economic downturn because... a) they tend to have seniority than women do, so they are laid off first b) male-employee-dominated sectors such as manufacturing have experienced more severe financial losses than have female-employee-dominated sectors c) women have been shown to be more productive and motivated employees than men d) women make up a smaller proportion of senior executives and managers than do men, and downsizing has hit executive and middle-management ranks harder than lower levels in organizations

b) male-employee-dominated sectors such as manufacturing have experienced more severe financial losses than have female-employee-dominated sectors

A disadvantage for employees who telecommute is that they... a) are less productive then employees who work on-site because of lack of access to company resources b) may have lower motivation because they are not physically present at company facilities c) are assigned heavier workloads than employees who are directly supervised, so there is a higher level of overwork d) are viewed by managers as less committed to their work and the organization

b) may have lower motivation because they are not physically present at company facilities

Beth, the employee development manager at Orcho Dynamics, wants to generate metrics that will help her analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of the company's development programs. Which of the following metrics would be most useful for Beth? a) HR expenses per FTE b) positions in the organization filled internally c) average tenure of employees d) performance quality of employees in their first year

b) positions in the organization filled internally

Clark is an HR staffer at a brewery with 372 employees. Clark is comparing the number of protected-class members who are potential brewery employees in the appropriate labor market in which the company hires both professional and line workers. Clark is conducting a/an... a) demographic projection b) goal and timetable c) availability d) utilization

c) availability

The most common area for HR specialization is.. a) EEO compliance b) labor/management relations c) benefits d) HR information systems

c) benefits

Borderline Cafeterias, INC., has discovered that most of its wait staff is white, while most of its kitchen staff is minority. When interviewed by the local TV news anchor, the CEO of Borderline Cafeterias says, "There has been no conscious or deliberate practice to staff the cafeterias in a discriminatory manner. It just happened to turn out this way." The CEO's argument is an example of.. a) disparate treatment b) blind discrimination c) disparate impact d) discriminatory impact

c) disparate impact

Employees who value ___ are most likely to be attracted to jobs allowing them to telecommute. a) work variety b) opportunities for early retirement c) flexibility d) a fast-track promotion path

c) flexibility

Through __ function, HR management provides the organizations with a sufficient supply of qualified individuals to fill the jobs in the organization? a) staffing b) equal employment opportunity c) talent management d) employee and labor relations

A: staffing

The customer service department of the cell phone company serving a 10-state region in the Southwest, has a reputation of being unhelpful to customers and sometimes customer service representatives are considered surly and rude to customers, especially to technologically-challenged callers. The cause of this behavior by the customer-relations is most likely to be..? a) the customer service department being located in NYC b) a lack of focus on the customer by managers and employees c) dissatisfied and difficult customers d) low pay in the customer service positions

B: a lack of focus on the customer by managers and employees

From an HR perspective, the most compelling reason for an organization to have a reputation for social responsibility is to..? a) heighten the HR director's reputation b) increase the ability to attract and retain employees c) increase quarterly profits d) improve the ability to succeed in bids for governmental contracts

B: increase the ability to attract and retain employees

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects individuals over the age of.. a) 40 b) 50 c) 65 d) 70

a) 40

Andrew is 59 and developed significant, not life-threatening, health problems. He has good investments and savings, but needs to continue working until he's 65 so he can have health insurance. He's good at work, but is feeling burned out. He would like to spend more of this time volunteering with children. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a) Andrew would be a good candidate for phased retirement, where his work hours would be reduced along with his paycheck but he would still be an employee b) Andrew would be better off as an independent contractor for is current employer, because he can write a contract that restricts his hours c) Andrew should remain a full-time regular employee if he can, because taking phased retirement will remove him from the protection of the ADEA d) Andrew should remain a regular employee and apply for ADA accommodation. This will ensure him a more comfortable full-time job without endangering his paycheck

a) Andrew would be a good candidate for phased retirement, where his work hours would be reduced along with his paycheck but he would still be an employee

In order to add value to the human capital of the organization... a) HR must have good metrics about the HR side of the business b) HR managers must be focused on reducing the total cost of labor c) the HR function must form the interface between the external environment of the organization and its internal environment d) HR policies and practices should result in the workforce with the minimum quantity and maximum quality needed to achieve productivity goals

a) HR must have good metrics about the HR side of the business

Important factors that affect retention of employees in the workplace include all the following EXCEPT: a) an undemanding job b) safe working environment c) modern equipment and technology d) good physical working conditions

a) an undemanding job

In organizations, in order to decide whether certain behavior is ethical or not, what question does a person NOT answer? a) does this behavior conform to typical behavior by employees of competing organizations? b) does this behavior meet all applicable laws,regulations, and government codes? c) does this behavior meet organizational standards? d) does this behavior meet professional standards?

a) does this behavior conform to typical behavior by employees of competing organizations?

Under the balanced scorecard approach, an organization's performance is measured using all the following categories EXCEPT the ___ perspective: a) marketing b) learning and growth c) financial d) internal business processes

a) marketing

Kevin, a junior architect at a large commercial firm, has contracted an aggressive case of cancer--his outlook for long term survival is poor. The senior architect told you, the HR director, "I can't stand to look at him." He wants you to remove Kevin from his projects and hire another someone else. Then, "terminate Kevin and give him a big severance." As the HR director you know.. a) since the architecture firm has 21 employees, Kevin is protected under the ADA b) except for AIDS and HIV, life-threatening illnesses are not considered as a disability under the ADA c) you need to sit down with Kevin and work out a voluntary resignation. His FMLA leave will expire soon. COBRA will extend his health benefits for 18 months, which he is not likely to outlive d) as an owner of this firm. the senior architect has the final say on whether accommodation for Kevin is reasonable or unreasonable

a) since the architecture firm has 21 employees, Kevin is protected under the ADA

Pauline is an employee of a large city. She is the lead negotiator for contracts between the city government and the police and firefighter's unions. Pauline is an HR... a) specialist b) technologist c) generalist d) interventionist

a) specialist

A large Japanese semiconductor manufacturer is building a manufacturing plant in rural Texas. The Japanese firm has developed a highly-effective system of motivating employees which results in high productivity and high worker satisfaction. As an Hr consultant to the Japanese firm, what should your advice be? a) The Japanese firm should study the local Texas culture and redesign its motivation system for the U.S. plant b) The Japanese firm can implement the same motivation system in Texas and expect high productiivty and high employee satisfaction c) The rural Texas and Japanese cultures are so different, that there is little likelihood that a Japanese-operated plant in Texas could be successful d) As long as the Japanese company's motivation system is based on pay-for-performance, the Texas employees will be as productive adn satisfied as their Japanese counterparts

a) the Japanese firm should study the local Texas culture and redesign its motivation system for the U.S. plant

As the vice-president of HR for Woodmere Production, Inc., you are presenting a proposal to Woodmere's top management for outsourcing many of your department's administrative HR functions to vendors. You argue that HR vendors have greater expertise than your in-house staff and that outsourcing will allow you to spend more time on the strategic aspects of HR. But, another key selling-point to top management will be.. a) the reduction in labor costs in the HR department b) the prestige of retaining a world-class vendor c) the ability to have closer contact with HR's true clients, the employees d) the improvement in morale of HR staff

a) the reduction in labor costs in the HR department

Which of the following is FALSE about workplace romances? a) relationships between a supervisor and a subordinate are of more concern than relationships between employees at the same level of hierarchy b) even consensual workplace romances can cause hostile work environments for other employees c) it is an illegal invasion of privacy for organizations to have policies banning or regulating relationships between consenting employees d) about 40% of workers admit that they have dated co-workers

c) it is an illegal invasion of privacy for organizations to have policies banning or regulating relationships between consenting employees

When using benchmarking: a) HR managers are able to identify the reasons why HR functions are below standard b) the resulting statistics are comparable across organizations and industries c) it is best to compare ratios from year to year d) it is best to collect the data on as-needed basis rather than on a rigid time schedule

c) it is best to compare ratios from year to year

Which of the following statements is FALSE? a) although each merger and acquisition has its own challenges, it is possible to take a systematic approach to integrating an acquired company into an existing company b) poorly-addressed HR issues such as culture clashes are responsible for a significant number of merger and acquisition failures c) more than half of mergers and acquisitions are successful in meeting financial, marketing or product gains d) HR due diligence in an acquisition focuses on legal compliance, compensation and benefit programs, the quality of talent, and labor contract obligations

c) more than half of mergers and acquisitions are successful in meeting financial, marketing or product gains

Downsizing an organization typically has all of the following effects on the organization EXCEPT: a) demoralization of surviving employees b) short-term reduction in labor costs c) revenue generation d) extra costs in the form of severance pay and outplacement

c) revenue generation

Which of the statement is false? a) the organization's existing employees limit the organization's choice of strategy b) Although HR is a staff function, it can add value by helping the organization improve its performance c) Most HR professionals are not full strategic partners in their organizations d) In order to have a clear strategic vision, it is best for management to have sole authority to select the organization's competitive strategy...

d) In order to have a clear strategic vision, it is best for management to have sole authority to select the organization's competitive strategy...

Which of the following is true about the U.S. educational system? a) U.S. schools are graduating more engineers than can be used in the economy b) U.S. students out perform students in other, directly-competitive nations in math and science c) wages are low in the U.S. manufacturing sector because of the excess number of people with manufacturing skills seeking jobs d) The U.S. education system is not generating the types of qualified workers needed in the economy

d) The U.S. education system is not generating the types of qualified workers needed in the economy

Which of the following statements is FALSE? a) by law, employers must pay prevailing U.S. wages to non-citizens who hold work visas b) employers that knowingly hire non-citizens without appropriate work visas are subject to fines c) it is illegal for employers to replace their current U.S workers with workers who are non-citizens, even if the non-citizen workers are more qualified than the U.S. workers being strong union members d) U.S. unions are usually pro-immigrant, because of the long history of immigrant workers being strong union members

d) U.S. unions are usually pro-immigrant, because of the long history of immigrant workers being strong union members

In order to ward off a complaint of discrimination, every requirement for employment must be... a) benchmarked against industry best practices b) approved by the EEOC c) consistent with past practice in the company d) directly job related for the position

d) directly job related for the position

Under the 1991 Civil Rights Act, employers must show that an individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.. a) was not the deciding factor in the employment decision b) did not limit that individual's employment options c) caused no financial hardship to the individual d) played no role in their employment practices

d) played no role in their employment practices

Which of the following is FALSE with respect to the physical appearance of employees? a) men who wear beards for religious reasons typically win lawsuits against employers who require employees to be clean-shaven b) obesity may be considered as a disqualification fora job if excess weight prevents satisfactory job performance c) an employer can reject an applicant because he/she too shot to safely use the required equipment d) pregnant women can be required to start their pregnancy leave when they can no longer fit into the mandatory work uniform

d) pregnant women can be required to start their pregnancy leave when they can no longer fit into the mandatory work uniform

Which of the following statements about communication technology's impact on HR is FALSE? a) constant social networking means that today's employees experience less of a division between their work lives and their personal lives b) employees today expect more frequent and more rapid communication from their managers c) the organization's reputation can be damaged by employee communication with outsiders, and this is magnified by social networking d) research has shown that the typical employee is not interested in learning more about the organization, so HR communication has little impact on employee attitudes regardless of its format or medium

d) research has shown that the typical employee is not interested in learning more about the organization, so HR communication has little impact on employee attitudes regardless of its format or medium

Useful metrics have all the following characteristics EXCEPT: a) measures are linked to strategic and operational objectives b) results can be compared both internally and externally c) calculations can be clearly understood d) the measures include subjective judgments by experts

d) the measures include subjective judgments by experts

Trunkline Chemicals is considering opening a manufacturing plant in Vietnam. As director of HR, you assign a committee of HR staff to investigate all of the following EXCEPT: a) the role and nature of labor unions in Vietnam b) the stability of the political environment in Vietnam c) Vietnamese laws regarding compensation d) whether the change in manufacturing location will be profitable in the short-run

d) whether the change in manufacturing location will be profitable in the short-run