aPHR chapter review questions

Which of the following is an in-person recruiting method? A. Job board B. Job bidding C. Job fair D. Posting on company web site

C. Job fairs are designed to bring in a number of employers and job seekers alike into a large hall for quick meet-and-greet interviews.

Employers with fewer than this many employees are not covered by Title VII. A. 500. B. 100. C. 15. D. All companies are covered by Title VII.

C. Title VII specifies that any employer engaged in an industry affecting commerce that has 15 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding year, and any agent of such company, is covered by Title VII.

In an insurance company, there are few employee hazards according to its HR manager. In fact, the HR manager believes there are no federal laws that will impact safety in its operations. As the associate HR manager, what recommendation would you make to your boss? A. Stay the course. The HR manager is right about the freedom from federal oversight. B. Reconsider the conclusion. Federal oversight and office safety laws say that the employer must conduct safety training for all employees. C. Stay the course. The employer is specifically exempt. All insurance companies are excluded from coverage under federal safety laws. D. Reconsider the conclusions. OSHA requires all employers to provide a safe workplace in compliance with the General Duty Clause.

2. D. OSHA's General Duty Clause requires all employers to offer employees a safe and healthy work environment.

Which of the following documents from List C verifies a potential candidate's identity and right to work for Form I-9? A. A Native American tribal document B. A state driver's license with photo ID C. A U.S. birth certificate D. A U.S. military card

A. A Native American tribal document can establish both identity and employment authorization on Form I-9 according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

ADDIE is an instructional design tool. What is not part of ADDIE? A. Delivery B. Implementation C. Design D. Development

A. ADDIE is an instructional design model that follows the phases of assessment, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.

The process of adjusting salary data to keep pace with market movement is referred to as A. Aging B. Leveling C. Benchmarking D. Compressing

A. Aging is a process that adjusts the value of salary data from multiple sources and/or over a period of time with the objective of achieving an adjusted result as reflective as possible to the desired moment in time. Leveling is calculating the average amount of money that a particular group of people receive for their work. Benchmarking is a measurement of the quality of an organization's policies, products, programs, strategies, etc., and their comparison with standard measurements or similar measurements of its marketplace.

IIPPs have been shown to A. Reduce illness and injury by as much as 17 percent B. Improve the décor of any modern-day office C. Reduce the paperwork associated with injury reports to the government D. Increase the amount of supervisor interventions when janitorial staff performance problems arise

A. Alaska discovered there was a direct link between having an IIPP and reduction in the number of injury and illness cases.

An employer established an EAP relationship with a social service agency with the employer paying costs up to a preestablished limit. Which of the following programs would most likely be included? A. Alcohol and drug abuse counseling B. Health risk appraisal C. Smoking cessation programs D. Nutrition education

A. Alcohol and drug abuse counseling would most likely be included because its objectives impact the individual and family. The other choices primarily benefit only the individual.

Which of the following managed-care plans will not cover any services outside of the network? A. EPO B. PPO C. POS D. PPA

A. As a member of an exclusive provider organization (EPO), you can use the doctors and hospitals within the EPO network but cannot go outside the network for care. There are no out-of-network benefits. Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans are one of the most popular types of plans in the individual and family market. PPO plans allow you to visit whatever in-network physician or healthcare provider you want without first requiring a referral from a primary- care physician. A point-of-service (POS) plan is a type of managed-care plan that is a hybrid of HMO and PPO plans. Like an HMO, participants designate an in-network physician to be their primary-care provider. But like a PPO, patients may go outside of the provider network for healthcare services. The Pension Protection Act (PPA) document restatement is an IRS requirement that employer plan documents be updated and resubmitted for review and approval. The last restatement requirement was April 30, 2016.

Collective bargaining agreements are contracts between a union and an employer. A. Yup. They are written expressions of a set of workplace rules and benefits the employer will provide in exchange for employee work performance. B. Nope. They are guidelines only. The union will work out any deviations in the grievance process. C. Hmmm. Maybe. If the agreement says it is a contract, then it is a contract. If it doesn't claim to be a contract, then it isn't. D. Arrrrggggg. Never. If the employer tells the union it isn't going to enter into a contract, then the agreement is only an informal set of working rules.

A. Collective bargaining agreements are contracts between the union and the employer.

Employment policies as laid out in the employee handbook can take precedence over union contracts. A. If there is a conflict between the union contract and the employer's policies, the contract will always win. B. If a conflict arises, then the policy will always prevail. C. Whenever there are different provisions in a union contract and employer policy, the differences must be arbitrated to resolution. D. It is up to the manager of the unit involved to determine which will be applied in the given situation.

A. Contract provisions are policy. So, contract provisions will prevail.

Disparate treatment occurs when A. Only women applicants are required to take a personality test before being offered a position B. A policy perpetuates a discriminatory hiring practice C. All applicants take a test that only white males perform well on D. All workers must meet the same standards, but the consequences are different

A. Disparate treatment occurs when protected groups are intentionally treated different than other groups.

Some of the reports created from HR data include A. Employee birthdays, new hires, employee training needed, EEO B. Training needed, department expense reports, building security access C. Performance evaluations, employee absence, profit and loss by department D. Payroll account bank reconciliation, EEO, employee longevity, employee terminations

A. Each of the four examples can be generated from the HR information system.

Beverly is setting up the human resource systems for her newly formed organization. She wants to write a policy about employment at will but isn't sure what it is. How would you explain it to her? A. Employment at will means either the employee or the employer can end the relationship at any time for any reason. B. Employment at will means the employer can terminate an employee when necessary, but the employee must give 2 weeks' notice. C. Employment at will means the employee can quit at any time, even without notice. D. Employment at will doesn't exist anymore because of state and federal labor laws.

A. Either party can end the relationship with or without notice, subject to some limitations on the employer created by various laws barring illegal treatment.

The following are not considered security risks A. Employees who have a worsening attendance problem B. Customers who insist on seeing the way their products are assembled C. City refuse collection personnel D. Managers who travel with laptops containing company databases

A. Employee attendance records have no correlation to security risks.

According to behavioral theories, which of the following is an example of employee-centered leadership behavior? A. Managers meet with team members to explain recent management decisions. B. Managers use their authority to screen the information they give to employees. C. Managers develop rules for employees to follow. D. Managers set roles and monitor their progress.

A. Employee-centered behavior, also known as consideration, refers to leadership behavior that is aimed at meeting the social and emotional needs of group members.

Jimmy has been told he can get healthcare coverage from his company because of the new Affordable Care Act. His company employs only ten people, but Jimmy is excited that he will finally get some insurance. He hasn't been feeling very good lately. A. Jimmy might have to wait until he can arrange for insurance through one of the exchanges. B. Jimmy should get an enrollment form from his boss because all employees will be covered by the new requirement that employers provide healthcare coverage to workers. C. Jimmy is out of luck. The new law only covers employers with 50 or more people, and there is no way Jimmy will be getting health insurance under the new law. D. Jimmy's boss just ran out of forms, but he will get some more from HR and then have Jimmy sign up for his coverage.

A. Employers are required to provide health insurance coverage, or pay a penalty in lieu of that insurance, only if they have 50 or more full-time workers. With only 10 employees, Jimmy's employer is not obligated to provide health insurance coverage. Jimmy may purchase it for himself through one of the exchanges set up for that purpose.

Violations of the employer's code of conduct can include: A. Fighting and insubordination B. Sickness and excess leaves of absence C. Failure to meet production requirements D. Talking with other employees about compensation amounts

A. Fighting and insubordination are prime examples of code of conduct violations. They are almost always cited in policy manuals as examples of violations.

The training specialist at a chain of retail stores is conducting a training evaluation after the new customer service VIP training that took place last quarter. He is analyzing data from observations, interviews, tests, and surveys to assess whether new skills were successfully transferred to the job by the trainees. The analysis he is completing is an example of what type of evaluation? A. Behavior B. Results C. Learning on the job D. Reaction

A. Having observations, conducting interviews, giving tests, and conducting surveys describe the behavioral evaluation method.

Theresa attended a seminar recently that pointed out the need to post a yearly summary of injury and illness cases. Her boss doesn't want to do that, saying he doesn't want to publicize the problems the organization has had. Theresa should tell him: A. Posting requirements call for display of the report in a prominent location if there are 10 or more people on the payroll. B. Posting requirements can be met by putting a report on the back of the closet door in the employee lounge. C. Posting requirements can be met by making the report available in a binder in the HR manager's office. D. Posting requirements are optional, but good employers are using the report as a "best practice" in safety programs.

A. If she must, Theresa should show her boss the requirement in OSHA regulations. A prominent display location excludes places such as the back of a closet door or inside a binder somewhere in the manager's office.

An HR professional has been assigned to communicate specific policies and procedures to line managers on how to deal with employee grievances. Which of the following HR roles does this task represent? A. Advisory B. Evaluation C. Control D. Service

A. In an advisory role, HR trains line managers in the management of human resources.

Olivia believes that it is a good idea to conduct an employee survey each year to get input about employee attitudes. Her vice president thinks that employee surveys cost too much money and don't provide much value in the end. What should Olivia tell the vice president? A. A well-constructed employee survey can provide information about the types of employment benefits employees would find attractive, how they feel about their managers, and if they believe they are being treated fairly. All of these feedback categories can be assigned dollar values and can be compared over time as budget impacts. B. Since the professional HR community is suggesting that employee surveys be conducted each year, it would be wise for Olivia's organization to do that also. C. The organization Olivia worked at before did an employee survey, and she thinks it would communicate to employees that the employer is willing to listen to them. D. In the modern workplace, employee attitudes are controlling factors. Surveys will help managers regain control of the workplace.

A. In fact, each category of employee feedback can be assigned a dollar value, and those can be tracked over time as budget impacts. Benefits are only one segment of the employee experience at work. Interpersonal relations with supervisors and managers are another big issue. Generally speaking, employees who feel well treated will be better performers, which also impacts the financial results.

Which statement is not true about in-house corporate universities? A. Offer collegiate-accredited degree programs B. Support a common culture and loyalty C. Offer training and education to employees D. Help organizations promote from within

A. In-house corporate universities are not credentialed "universities" that provide academic-accredited degrees.

Task identity, task significance, and feedback are examples of what? A. Job enrichment B. Job enlargement C. Key productivity indicators D. Performance appraisal criteria

A. Job design consists of several factors related to how work gets done, broken into two categories: job enrichment and job enlargement. Task identity, task significance, and feedback are examples of job enrichment activities that can significantly influence job satisfaction through job design.

Which of the following recruitment methods offers the opportunity for potential applicants to discuss opening with employers without having a job application/ résumé on file? A. Job fairs B. Employee referrals C. Outplacement firm job search centers D. State employment agencies

A. Job fairs bring together a number of job seekers with employers in a group setting such as a hall for quick meet-and-greet interviews, exchanging résumés and first impressions.

What performance evaluation method increases employee engagement and dialogue the most? A. Management by objectives (MBO) B. Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) method C. A forced-choice method D. Paired comparison method

A. Management by objectives (MBO) is often used by the supervisor and employee to mutually identify specific performance goals, offering a two-way dialogue and agreement on what goals should be and a discussion of self- assessment by the employee. Employees are more engaged in their work goals when they have a say in setting them.

When someone is stuck by a syringe needle accidentally, OSHA says you should A. Report the case under special OSHA rules. B. Save the reporting until the end of the calendar year for the summary report. C. Report the case as a minor incident that didn't require medical treatment. D. Ignore the needle stick. It isn't covered.

A. OSHA calls needlesticks reportable injuries under special recording criteria.

Pat is talking with her colleagues about illegal discrimination at work. Someone mentions that the company is going to be sending out a request for updated race and sex information. Pat says that isn't legal. The company isn't supposed to track any of that information. A. Pat has not understood the FLSA requirements that employers keep race and sex data on employees. B. The EEOC has issued guidelines that agree with Pat's belief that it is illegal to maintain that information in company records. C. Only federal contractors are required to maintain the race and sex identification for employees. D. It is only the public-sector employees who are exempt from providing their race and sex identification to employers.

A. Race and sex data is specifically required by the FLSA. For employers with 15 or more people on the payroll that are engaged in interstate commerce, EEOC regulations also require maintenance of those data records.

To which of the following job evaluation methods does the paired comparison method belong? A. Ranking B. Job classification C. Point-factor D. Factor comparison

A. Ranking is one of the simplest to administer. Jobs are compared to each other based on the overall worth of the job to the organization. The "worth" of a job is usually based on judgments of skill, effort (physical and mental), responsibility (supervisory and fiscal), and working conditions.

Red-circle rates result when a worker is paid A. More than the maximum for the pay range B. A low salary plus bonus C. Slightly more than a new employee with no experience D. Less than the minimum for the pay range

A. Red-circle rates are those in which the pay rate is above the range maximum.

Lebron serves his employer as the HR director. It is a startup company, and his bosses want him to hire people fast, so they have given him some tests to use in the screening process. He was told to hire the applicants with the best scores. Are these tests something Lebron should use? A. It is OK to use tests if they are job specific in their measurement. B. No way. He should not use any tests that he hasn't bought from a legitimate test publisher. C. Tests are just fine. He should be sure the passing scores are set so they can get the best people. D. If the boss says to use the tests, he has little choice. He just has to be sure to score them properly.

A. Remember that it is the user of a test that holds the liability, not the publisher of the test. If a test has been validated to properly predict success in specific jobs with specific knowledge and skill requirements, it can be used for those jobs. Using it for all jobs is not a good idea. If the boss insists, he needs to be told what the consequences can be.

The ABC Company owns a gold mine in the California mountains. It has only eight employees. The company is most certainly going to be governed by the federal law known as A. MSHA B. OSHA C. TEPA D. SBGP

A. The Mine Safety and Health Administration governs all mining operations in the United States. It has overall authority for safety in mining. Even with only one employee, the company must meet standards prescribed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The Wagner-Peyser Act protects employees who are: A. Unemployed B. Injured on the job C. Unable to work because of pregnancy D. Have two or more jobs

A. The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 provides for federal unemployment insurance and sets guidelines for state unemployment insurance programs.

AB Trucking has had a policy that nobody will be hired unless they complete the company's job application. Now, all of their job applications are being processed online, and some applicants want to submit their résumés instead of a job application form. What can AB Trucking do about the résumé vs. application controversy? A. It is entirely up to the company how it wants to handle the policy. Application forms are not a legal requirement, but using them is generally considered a best practice in the employment arena. Job candidates can be forced to go through the company's process of completing an application form, online or offline. B. The government has set up regulations that say employers have to accept résumés if they are submitted in a job search. The company doesn't really have any choice but to accept them. C. Job applications are old-school. Almost no employer uses them these days. The company should change its policy and use only résumés in the future. D. Résumés don't have all the information that can be gathered on a job application, and people lie on résumés anyway. That alone is reason for the company to continue using its job application forms.

A. The company is not constrained by the government on how it designs its job application process. If it wants to have a certain form completed, it can establish that policy. A decision should be made about what documents it will accept from job applicants. Consistency in how the process is applied is critical in avoiding complaints of bias.

Simone has just been hired and is asked to complete a Form I-9. She offers her driver's license as proof of her identity. What else is required for her to complete the document? A. She may offer any document authorized on the Form I-9 instructions as proof of her authorization to work in this country. B. She must have a Social Security number to submit on the form. C. Simone has a U.S. passport but is told that she can't use it for her Form I-9. D. As long as Simone offers to get a Social Security number in the next 30 days, she can submit her Form I-9.

A. The deadline for completing a Form I-9 is 3 days after hire. Any documents listed on the form are acceptable. The employer may not designate certain documents as requirements. A Social Security number is one way to demonstrate authorization to work in this country. A valid U.S. passport is also a way to demonstrate both identity and work authorization.

Which job evaluation method is most difficult to use? A. Factor comparison method B. Ranking method C. Classification method D. Point-factor method

A. The factor comparison method is a systematic and scientific method of job evaluation. It is the most complex method of the four recognized methods. Under this method, instead of ranking complete jobs, each job is ranked according to a series of factors. These factors include mental effort, physical effort, skill needed, responsibility, supervisory responsibility, working conditions, and other such factors. Pay is assigned in this method by comparing the total value of the factors required for each job and dividing the result among the factors weighted by importance. Wages are assigned to the job in comparison to its ranking on each job factor.

The simplest method of job evaluation is the A. Job ranking method B. Point-factor method C. Classification method D. Factor comparison method

A. The simplest method of job evaluation is the ranking method. According to this method, jobs are arranged from highest to lowest, in order of their value or merit to the organization. Jobs can also be arranged according to the relative difficulty in performing them. The jobs are examined as a whole rather than on the basis of important factors in the job; the job at the top of the list has the highest value, and obviously the job at the bottom of the list has the lowest value. The ranking method is simple to understand and practice; it is best suited for a small organization. This kind of ranking is highly subjective in nature and may offend many employees.

The Family and Medical Leave Act will apply to an employee who A. Is a new father wanting to take time off for bonding with his new son B. Is an uncle who wants to travel to the "old country" to see his new niece C. Is a mother who wants to take more time off following her vacation D. Is a sister wanting to surprise her brother for his 50th birthday

A. Time for bonding with a new child is a qualifying event under FMLA.

A job offer letter should be sent to a selected candidate immediately after: A. The hiring decision is made B. All contingencies are addressed C. Both parties review the employment contract D. Both parties verbally agree to any relocation expenses

A. Time is of the essence. Put it in writing so that the candidate has assurance and understanding of what the job offer parameters are and they can give notice to their current employer when necessary.

Cynthia works for a large multistate manufacturing company and approaches her boss one morning and tells him that her husband has just received orders from the Coast Guard to report for deployment to the Middle East. They have a week to get everything ready for his departure. She wants to know if she can have excused time off during the coming week. If you were her boss, what would you tell her? A. She can have the time off, but it will be logged as unpaid and charged as FMLA leave. B. She can take the time off, but it will be unexcused because she didn't give more than a week's notice. C. If she wants the time off, she will have to use her paid vacation time for the week. D. Jennifer has already requested the week off for vacation, but only one person can be off at any one time or the unit won't be able to function. Cynthia's request is denied with regrets.

A. Under the FMLA, Cynthia is entitled to unpaid leave of absence as a spouse of a covered military service worker. It will be logged as unpaid time off, unless she wants to use some of her accrued paid time off. It will also be logged in her record as FMLA leave.

In handling an employee with a disability: A. The employer must grant discussion about a job accommodation if asked for one. B. The employer must not log an employee as disabled if the employee doesn't want to be identified as disabled. C. The employer should not distinguish between a temporary injury and long- term disability. D. The employer should file annual disability reports with the U.S. Department of Labor.

A. When an employee requests a job accommodation, the employer is obligated to enter into a discussion that may or may not result in the accommodation being approved. It may result in no accommodation or in a different accommodation that will work for the employee and be more favorable to the company.

An employer routinely works with hazardous chemicals, trucking them for delivery to various customer locations. After each load, the truck must be cleaned before being loaded with a different chemical. Cleaning has to be done by someone inside the tanker using special absorbent materials. What else should be considered? A. Personal protective equipment should be provided by the employer, including breathing apparatus and hazmat suits. B. Standard coveralls and boot covers should be provided for employees to use if they want. C. Workers should never be sent into a tanker truck for any reason. D. Breathing equipment is absolutely a requirement if someone will be in the tanker truck for longer than 30 minutes.

A. Working inside an enclosed space with dangerous fumes calls for hazmat equipment and adequate breathing equipment. OSHA regulations specify the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary in this and other working conditions.

Leslie is reviewing the list of interview questions the hiring manager has submitted. Which interview question on the hiring manager's list has the potential to be discriminatory under federal law? A. "Are you legally blind?" B. "Do you have any relatives who work for our headquarters?" C. "The job requires you to lift a 30-pound package once a month and place it on a shelve in the supply closet. Can you do that?" D. "Are you older than 18?"

A. You may ask questions associated with the applicant's ability to perform the identified functions of the job. You cannot ask about the nature or severity of a disability or recent or past surgeries.

A bonus paid to an employee based on his or her performance at the end of a period of time is referred to as A. Performance-based B. Discretionary C. Formula-based D. Service-based

B. A bonus is discretionary if it is given at the sole discretion of the employer to award it, not an expectation by the employees. A discretionary bonus is a form of variable pay; the amount, requirements, timing, and announcement of the bonus should not be disclosed in advance, as this may appear to be a motivator or incentive implying that meeting certain levels would guarantee a bonus or reward. Performance-based bonuses are meant to be motivational. They are designed to reward employees for fulfilling their responsibilities and for delivering superior results. Bonus targets and their associated payouts reflect a range of expected levels of performance. Formula-based and service-based bonuses are designed to reward performance, or service on the basis of predesigned measurements. Gainsharing is an example of a formula-based bonus.

The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to employers A. Only one at a time but never both together B. Only when the employer is a federal contractor with $10,000 or more in contracts and more than 15 people on the payroll do both laws apply at the same time C. Only when there are 15 or more people on the payroll; then ADA takes precedence over the Rehabilitation Act D. Only if the federal contractor has a contract of $100,000 or more and at least 50 people on the payroll will both laws apply

B. A federal contractor with 15 employees and a contract or subcontract of $10,000 or more will be subject to both laws.

The statement "We aspire to be a great place to work for all employees" is an example of: A. A values statement B. A vision statement C. A mission statement D. A core competency

B. A vision statement is an aspirational statement that answers the questions of what the company does, who for, and what the company aspires to be in the future.

A candidate's ability to complete an actual job task is best tested through a(n): A. Predictive index B. Work sample test C. Aptitude test D. Achievement test

B. A work sample test requires candidates to complete an actual work task in a controlled setting. The other tests measure a person's general capacity to learn or ability to relate to others.

According to Maslow's hierarchy theory, which need must first be met? A. Esteem B. Security/safety C. Self-actualization D. Belonging/loving

B. Abraham Maslow's 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" created a framework in sociology extending to management training and adult development theories and describing the stages of human growth through varying needs beginning with physiological, safety, belonging, love, esteem, and then self- actualization. This is the pattern that human motivations generally move through.

Attendance and punctuality are: A. Examples of things that drive supervisors nuts B. Examples of job behavior that can contribute to or detract from company goal achievement C. Examples of job behavior that should never be reported to another employer in a background check D. Examples of subjective performance characteristics that supervisors can document

B. Achieving company objectives depends upon employees being at work on time on each day they are scheduled to work. Absent or tardy employees can cost the company money and detract from the company's chance to meet its objectives for financial performance and product deliveries.

When an employee complains about unfair treatment by the supervisor: A. The HR department should soothe the emotional complaint and encourage the employee to go back to work and pay no attention to the treatment. B. It should always be investigated as possible illegal discrimination. C. HR should suspend the supervisor for at least 2 days. D. The CEO should be notified that a lawsuit is not far behind.

B. Any employee complaint that is based on a protected category should be investigated as possible illegal discrimination.

Latisha works for a veterinarian as the office manager. She also serves as the HR manager. It is a small practice with only 12 employees. The boss, veterinarian Jill, is strict about handling needles and other sharp instruments. Also, since they are not dealing with human patients, Dr. Jill says they don't have to worry about bloodborne pathogens. Is she right? A. Dr. Jill is wrong. While animal blood may not transfer human diseases, accidental human injury by sharps can cause human blood transfer. B. Dr. Jill is wrong. Animal blood can easily transmit most human diseases. C. Dr. Jill is right. However, Latisha should ignore the issue until there is need to respond to an accident involving a needle or other sharp instrument. Then she can put together a program. D. Dr. Jill is right. Even if someone should get stuck by a needle, there is still no coverage under OSHA's regulations.

B. Any veterinary facility dealing with known human pathogens must comply with OSHA's regulations on bloodborne pathogens. AVMA strongly recommends voluntary compliance for all veterinary establishments.

Arthur has applied for a job with the AB Trucking Company. He is told he must take and pass a urine drug test. If he fails the test and any subsequent random drug test after he is hired, he will be dismissed from the company. Arthur reacts loudly and says, "That's an invasion of my privacy! I won't do it." What happens now? A. Arthur can call his lawyer and have the drug test waived since he doesn't want to take it. B. Arthur can discontinue his participation in the AB Transit Company's employment process. C. Arthurcantakethetestnowandstillrefusetoparticipateinrandomtestslater. D. Arthur can have his friend take the test for him.

B. Arthur has to decide whether he wants to continue seeking employment with the AB Transit Company. If so, he must participate in their drug testing program. If he wants to avoid testing, he must drop out of the job application process and seek employment elsewhere.

Leslie notices another question on the hiring manager's list. Which additional question is not allowed because of its discriminatory manner under federal law? A. "Did you graduate from high school?" B. "Have you ever filed a workers' compensation claim?" C. "Do you have proper documentation to work in the United States?" D. "Did you receive any training in the military?"

B. Asking about previous workers' compensation claims is considered potentially discriminatory and is not relevant to the job. Asking instead if the applicant can perform all the identified job functions and physical requirements, line by line if necessary, is acceptable. A medical exam for fitness to do the job might be a next level of verification.

Workplace violence is something that most employers A. Won't have to worry about B. Will address through the IIPP C. Should downplay to prevent any self-fulfilling prophecies D. Can prevent if they keep their doors locked

B. Both internal and external workplace violence possibilities should be addressed in the IIPP along with the employee training plans for dealing with them.

Pete is sensitive about the security of his personal identity information since his credit card has been stolen twice in the past year. He is trying to clear up his credit rating because of the problems with the stolen cards. Now, he has approached the HR manager at his organization and requested that his Social Security number be removed from all of the company records. He thinks that a mistake could cause him more grief if the Social Security number were to be obtained by thieves. As the HR professional, what should you do? A. The company can and should delete the Social Security number from its records to protect Pete. B. There is a need for the company to keep the Social Security number for tax reporting. C. There is a need for the company to keep the Social Security number for census reporting. D. The company has no need for the Social Security number but should keep it regardless.

B. Both the FLSA and the IRS regulations require employers to obtain and report Social Security numbers from all employees. A Social Security number is required for completion of the Form I-9 to prove authorization to work in this country. The company may not remove it from its records, regardless of how concerned Pete may be.

A manager assigns tasks to an employee that are beyond the scope of the employee's job. When the employee complains, the manager increases the workload and sets unrealistic deadlines. Out of frustration, the employee finally resigns even though he has an employment contract. This situation is an example of A. Coerced termination B. Constructive discharge C. Retaliatory discharge D. Voluntary termination

B. Constructive discharge occurs when an employer makes working conditions so intolerable that an employee is forced into an involuntary termination.

Why was the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act passed by Congress? A. Employers were being nosy about employee health problems that they had not admitted on their job applications. B. Insurance companies were using genetic information to determine who would have expensive diseases in the future. C. Insurance companies were finding it useful to know genetic information to defend against lawsuits. D. Employers were using the genetic information to determine racial category membership.

B. Determining who would be covered by health insurance based on who would have expensive diseases in the future was judged by Congress to be unacceptable.

Harold has heard that it is necessary to have a diversity management program under some new federal law. What would you tell Harold about that requirement? A. The new law won't be effective until a year after it was passed. So, there is no immediate requirement for him to worry about. B. There is no federal law requiring diversity management programs. Sophisticated employers are moving in that direction because it is the right thing to do and production results often improve. C. There is no law requiring diversity management programs, and employers should not consider moving toward such programs unless they are federal contractors. D. The new law will require diversity management programs only for employers that have federal contracts to provide goods or services to government agencies.

B. Diversity management programs are not a new idea. And they are not a legal requirement. More and more employers, however, are implementing them because they help with employee satisfaction and marketplace perceptions.

Finding a life insurance company to provide benefits to its workforce has been difficult for Joan, the HR manager. She decides to recommend that her company offer a self-insured plan. What controls might Joan have to consider in her planning? A. There are no federal restrictions on a company providing its own life insurance plan to employees. B. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act regulates welfare benefit plans, including life insurance. C. The Life Insurance Benefit Plans Act has control over what Joan is able to do with her idea. D. Only state laws will have an influence on Joan's development of a self-insured benefit plan.

B. ERISA specifically regulates welfare benefit plans such as health insurance and life insurance. That is in addition to regulation of pension and retirement plans offered by employers. It makes no difference who underwrites the life insurance—the employer or a vendor. ERISA will still provide requirements.

Which of the following is not regulated by the FLSA? A. Exempt status B. Employee benefits C. Minimum wage D. Overtime pay

B. Employee benefits are regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The other three choices are regulated by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Employee wellness programs are A. A bad idea because they discriminate against disabled workers B. A good idea because they can reduce employee rates of illness C. A bad idea because the physical stress may cause heart attacks D. A good idea because they use genetic information to work around genetic predispositions for illness

B. Employee wellness programs have been shown to reduce employee illness rates.

Robert works for a congressional representative and suffers a disabling injury in an automobile accident. Robert cannot work more than 3 hours per day according to his doctor. Weeks later, when he returns to work, he asks for a job accommodation and is told that it can't be done. When he presses the point, his supervisor says the reason is: A. Congressional staff people aren't covered by the ADA, so they don't have to even discuss his request. B. The request he has made would exempt him from several of his job's key responsibilities. C. The request he has made would set a precedent that other representatives' offices would have to follow. D. Because congressional staff members have to meet the public every day, they can't have people seeing disabled workers in the office. It doesn't look good.

B. Even the congressional offices are subject to the ADA's requirement to consider and discuss requests for job accommodation. Job accommodations must be made to make it easier for an employee to perform one of the job's essential functions. If he can't do that, even with an accommodation, he is not eligible for assignment to that job. If there is no other job available, the employer can't return him to work until his status changes.

As the employment coordinator for your organization, you have been requested to arrange interviews with three of the top qualified candidates for a customer service position. The interviewers will be a select group of employees from the customer service department who would be the candidate's co-workers. This is an example of what type of interview? A. Stress interview B. Group/panel interview C. Situational interview D. Rapport interview

B. Group and panel interviews happen when multiple job candidates are interviewed by one or more interviewers at the same time.

Which of the following is not an example of a narrative evaluation method? A. Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) B. Forced distribution C. Management by objectives (MBO) D. Essay

B. Forced distribution is when employee performance is compared directly with others in the same job, group, or function. The evaluator will rank the employees in a group, causing a forced distribution known as a bell curve.

Which type of organizational structure would be most effective for maintaining centralized authority and accountability of specialized departments? A. Line and staff B. Functional C. Divisional D. Matrix

B. Functional organizations are centralized and have specialized departments such as finance, marketing, HR, and manufacturing.

When creating SMART goals, what does the acronym SMART stand for? A. Smart, Meaningful, Action-oriented, Relevant, and Timed B. Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed C. Smart, Measureable, Accurate, Relevant, and Timed D. Specific, Measurable Accurate, Responsible, and Timed

B. Goal setting using the SMART format requires that goals be specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timed.

An employee in Cortez's organization came to him and suggested that she and her co-worker could consolidate their duties into one job and each work part- time. What is this arrangement known as? A. Part-time jobbers B. Job sharing C. Impossible D. Double duty

B. Job sharing is where two or more workers collectively work a job on a part-time basis to constitute one full-time equivalent employee.

Naji is wondering how he is going to describe the difference between his organization's employee grievance resolution process and the discrimination complaint-handling process. What would you suggest? A. There isn't any difference between them. The processes for handling them are the same. B. Employee grievances are often regarding workplace rules and work assignment processes. Discrimination complaints have more to do with equal employment opportunity issues. C. Grievances happen only in union-represented organizations, so Naji doesn't have to worry about that. He still has to explain how discrimination complaints can be handled in his organization. D. Handling grievances is not required by law, but handling discrimination complaints is a legal requirement under federal law.

B. Labor relations issues are usually handled by grievance procedures, and discrimination complaints handle EEO issues.

What type of interviewing bias is being applied when the hiring manager is making a judgment about the applicant based on the manner in which they are dressed? A. Stereotyping B. Negative emphasis C. Contrast effect D. Cultural noise

B. Negative emphasis often happens when subjective factors such as dress or nonverbal communication taint the hiring manger's judgment.

Which of the following is the best online recruiting source for finding passive candidates? A. The company's web site B. Personal online networks such as LinkedIn C. Job fairs D. Employment agencies

B. Personal online networks are excellent sources for finding passive candidate. A passive candidate is a person who is not seeking employment but may have the background that matches the vacancy of the organization.

Pita holds an advance degree in chemical engineering and works in research and development in the Paris facility of a large global company. Pita is solely responsible for developing a new type of removable adhesive for picture hangers, which she discovered while working on improvements for an existing elastic chalking product her company produces. Who will be the owner of the patent for the new adhesive? A. Pita, because she is the researcher and developer of the product B. Pita's company because Pita is an employee and is paid to research and develop products C. Pita, because her discovery of the new adhesive had nothing to do with the product she was working on D. The French government due to an agreement with the company having an R&D facility in Paris

B. Pita's employer pays her for this R&D work as a part of her normal job duties, and as long as this discovery occurred while Pita was on the job, the patent and discovery belong to the employer. HR needs to ensure this information is imparted to all employees, new and existing, in functions like R&D.

The following are not examples of unethical behavior: A. Pilferage from employer supply cabinet B. Playing Counter Strike: Global Offensive, a computer game, during coffee break C. Scanning a friend's time card when he will be late D. Calling in sick and then playing a round of golf

B. Playing a computer game during a work rest break or lunch break is perfectly acceptable as long as it is done in a safe environment. The company lunch room would qualify as a safe environment.

Which common-law concept protects an employee from being fired for reporting a criminal activity by an employer? A. Implied contract B. Public policy C. Constructive discharge D. Implied covenant of fair dealing

B. Public policy, an exemption to the employment at will concept, states that employees generally cannot be fired for disclosing illegal, immoral, or illegitimate practices under the control of their employers to organizations that can take corrective action.

Which of the following is a comparative method of performance appraisal? A. BARS B. Ranking C. Critical incident D. Rating scale

B. Ranking, paired comparison, and forced ranking are all comparative methods of performance appraisals.

Federal regulations are important because: A. They give politicians a way to influence how government oversees the private sector. B. They implement laws that Congress has passed. C. They precede congressional action and guide Congress in the law-making process. D. They offer suggestions to the private sector but really have no strong influence over federal contractors.

B. Regulations represent the detailed implementation requirements for laws that Congress passes. They must be published and public comment invited before they may be finalized and made into legal requirements.

Which of the following compensates employees who arrive at work but find that no work is available? A. On-call pay B. Reporting time pay C. Premium pay D. Travel pay

B. Reporting time pay is a guarantee of at least partial compensation for employees who report to their job expecting to work a specified number of hours but who are deprived of that amount of work because of inadequate scheduling or lack of proper notice by the employer. On-call pay is pay legally required for time an employee must be on duty, on the employer premises, or at any other prescribed place of work. Premium pay is additional pay provided to employees for working certain types of hours or under certain types of conditions. Travel pay that is home- to-work travel is generally not compensable.

Which federal agency is used to investigate charges of discrimination in hiring practices under Title VII? A. NLRB B. EEOC C. Pre-employment hiring board D. ADA board

B. The EEOC is the agency that is responsible for investigating all charges of discrimination under Title VII, rather than pre-employment hiring practices or post-employment activities.

The Equal Pay Act prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of A. Race B. Sex C. Seniority D. Merit

B. The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work in the same establishment. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially equal. It is job content, not job titles, that determines whether jobs are substantially equal.

Hank puts in the following hours at work: Sunday, 0; Monday, 8; Tuesday, 8; Wednesday, 9; Thursday, 8; Friday, 8; Saturday, 7. His boss says he will give Hank compensating time off for every hour of overtime Hank works. How many compensating hours off should Hank receive for this work time according to federal requirements? A. One day of compensating time off. B. 1.5 days of compensating time off. C. 7 hours of compensating time off. D. Compensating time off is not permitted under the FLSA.

B. The FLSA requires all hours of work in excess of 40 in a week be paid overtime at the rate of 1.5 times the normal hourly pay rate. Compensating time off, in lieu of overtime pay, must be given at the rate of 1.5 hours for every overtime hour. So, a day of overtime (8 hours) should be compensated for with 1.5 days of compensating time off.

The Tractor and Belt Company (TBC) handles conveyor belt installations for many small firms. Each of the customer projects begins on a day that is most convenient for the customer. Sometimes, that's Monday; sometimes it's Thursday or some other day. The HR manager says that the company will adjust its workweek to begin when the customer's project starts. That way, each installation team has a separate workweek, and those workweeks can shift several times a month. What is your advice about this strategy? A. The HR manager is simply taking advantage of the FLSA's provisions for flexible workweeks that support small business. No change is required. B. Once the workweek has been designated to begin on a certain day of the week, it should not be changed by the HR manager. C. It depends on state laws and regulations whether the workweek begins on any specific day of the week. D. The FLSA says a workweek should always begin on Sunday.

B. The FLSA requires employers to designate a day as the beginning of the workweek. To change that designation, there should be a significant business reason. Moving the workweek to begin based on projects is not acceptable. FLSA requires consistency because of the need to pay overtime for hours in excess of 40 in a workweek. Constantly moving a workweek could deprive employees of earned overtime.

Which job evaluation method is commonly used by the government and the public sector? A. Ranking B. Classification C. Point-factor D. Factor comparison

B. The classification system is the primary evaluation system used by the government and in the public sector. The other choices are more heavily used in the private sector.

Steve is the HR director for a crane operations company. He just got a phone call from one of his field supervisors with tragic news. One of their units has collapsed, and their operator is in the hospital with serious injuries. What should Steve do with that information? A. Steve should immediately call the hospital to be sure all the insurance information is on file for their employee. B. He should notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration about the accident and the injuries. C. He should notify the Crane Safety Institute of America to be sure they are able to add this accident to its database. D. Steveshouldcallthecraneoperator'sspousetoletherknowaboutthetragedy.

B. The company has 8 hours after the accident to file its report of serious injury with OSHA. We don't know how long ago the accident happened, but it was long enough that the operator is now in the hospital. Steve should gather all the information needed for the report and get it called in to the OSHA office.

At the completion of an eight-module computer-based training course, the trainees are being asked to complete an assessment about what they learned. What evaluation method is this known as? A. Learning B. Reaction C. Results D. ROI

B. The easiest method to administer and the most frequently used, the reaction evaluation method, is level 1 of Kirkpatrick's model. It measures how participants in the training felt about the training program immediately following the conclusion of the training.

A window manufacturer guarantees its installers a base wage plus an extra $25 for each job completed to specifications. The employer is using a A. Merit pay system B. Productivity-based pay system C. Competency-based system D. Flat-rate system

B. The employer is using an incentive program based on performance results, which is considered a productivity-based system. A merit-based pay system does not address incentive pay. A competency-based system addresses capabilities, whereas a flat-rate system establishes a fixed rate of pay.

When an employee's doctor releases the employee to return to work with restrictions, what should happen? A. The employer must take the employee back and find a way to accommodate the restrictions. B. The employer can determine whether there is a way to accommodate the restrictions. C. The employer is obligated to return the employee to the same job without doing all the heavy lifting. D. The employer is required to pay the employee the normal rate even if there is no job available with the required restrictions.

B. The employer must evaluate the restrictions and determine whether it is possible to accommodate the employee given the performance limitations.

The year-end OSHA summary report must be posted A. From January 1 through March 31 B. From February 1 through April 30 C. From March 1 through May 30 D. From April 1 through June 30

B. The summary report must be posted for 90 days from February 1 through April 30 each year.

Abel has been having trouble selecting quality accounting people. Everyone claims to be able to use Excel spreadsheets, but few actually can once they get on the job. In the end, he has had to terminate people because of poor performance. He is thinking he will use a test he saw at the local office-supply warehouse. As Abel's HR recruiting liaison, what advice would you give him about his plans for testing? A. It sounds like a good idea. It certainly could control the cost of turnover. We should try it. B. It sounds like a good idea. Will he be able to show that the test actually predicts success on the jobs he wants to use it for? If not, he should find a different screening tool. C. It doesn't sound like a good idea. With everyone talking about the liability of written tests these days, we can't take that risk for any job. D. It doesn't sound like a good idea. It is going to create more paperwork for HR, and we can't stand any workload increase.

B. The test should measure Excel skills because those are the predictors of success for Abel's accounting positions.

Performance improvement plans (PIPs) are: A. Used when an employee is transitioning to a new job via promotion B. Used when existing employees are no longer meeting standards C. Used in career pathing D. Used at the end of the apprenticeship program

B. When an employee is no longer meeting the specific requirements of their job, a performance improvement plan is created that specifically describes what needs to be improved and by when, along with a consequence (including termination of employment) if the performance level is not brought up to standards by the specified time frame.

Workplace hazards are best identified through A. Having a working committee to discuss the problems they see B. Conducting periodic inspections of each work location and documenting the issues identified as potential hazards C. Logging the accidents that employees have D. Employee suggestions for fixing problems they see at their workstation

B. When supervisors make inspections and record hazardous conditions, they have a record of actions necessary to make the workplace safer. Repair and improvement can be noted in future inspections.

Workers' compensation is regulated by the A. U.S. Department of Labor B. States C. Private insurance companies D. Social Security Administration

B. Workers' compensation is regulated by the states. At the turn of the twentieth century, workers' compensation laws were voluntary for several reasons. Some argued that compulsory workers' compensation laws would violate the 14th Amendment due process clause of the U.S. Constitution. Many felt that compulsory participation would deprive the employer of property without due process. The issue of due process was resolved by the United States Supreme Court in 1917. After the ruling, many states enacted new compulsory workers' compensation laws. The other three choices are incorrect.

Which of the following is not a BFOQ? A. A synagogue hiring a new rabbi requires that the rabbi be Jewish B. A lingerie store hires only female models C. A retail store in a predominately Asian neighborhood advertises for Asian clerks D. A swimming club requires that the men's changing room attendant be male

C. According to the EEOC, there are limited circumstances when race or color is a BFOQ. In this question, A is incorrect because religious organizations are allowed to give preference to members of their religion. The other choices are incorrect because Title VII allows sex as a BFOQ if it is "reasonably necessary" for business operations.

When can the Trustworthy Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation organization require a polygraph test of a new employee? A. When a candidate is applying for an HR recruiting position B. When a candidate is applying for a clerical position C. When an accountant candidate is applying for a job in a function that has embezzlement potential D. When a candidate is a recovering substance abuse user

C. Although the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 prohibits employers from requiring or requesting pre-employment polygraph exams under most circumstances, if the position has been identified as a high risk for possible embezzlement, this test can be administered as long as all candidates for the same function are examined.

Which of the following is true of training needs assessments? A. They are concerned with skill gaps, not attitudes. B. They can be eliminated if management knows what training is needed. C. They serve as a baseline for evaluating training effectiveness. D. They do not consider the conditions under which training is conducted.

C. An effective needs assessment allows a company to both design and evaluate a training program against the specific needs uncovered.

Which term best describes the manner in which adults learn? A. Kinesthetic B. Emotional intelligence C. Andragogy D. Pedagogy

C. Andragogy is the process of learning associated with people who are older than 18 to 25 and generally referred to as nontraditional learners.

Elaine has attended an industry meeting with other HR professionals. She came back to her office with the idea that background investigations of new hires are something she ought to implement. What would you say to Elaine about that idea? A. The EEOC has banned background investigations in any form because they discriminate against Hispanics and African-Americans. B. The EEOC has only recommended that background checks not automatically eliminate Hispanics or African-Americans because of employment history. C. Background checks are still legal and should be conducted on applicants before a job offer is made to be sure there is no history of bad behavior that could bring liability into the new workplace. D. Finding anyone these days with no skeleton in the closet is going to be difficult. So, background checks are not really worth the money or time they require.

C. Background checks are still legal. The EEOC simply recommends making sure they are job related and that conviction records not automatically disqualifying candidates. Using them to help prevent claims of negligent hiring is a good idea.

Which of the following selection practices is illegal under federal law? A. Obtaining information from references without a candidate's written permission B. Requiring a job-related test that has adverse impact on minority groups C. Determining whether an applicant has ever filed a workers' compensation claim D. Requiring applicants to submit to a pre-employment drug test

C. Be careful not to violate an individual's privacy or other rights. Checking to see whether an applicant has filed a workers' compensation claim is most likely a violation of privacy rights.

Employers should obtain which of the following before extending a contingent offer of employment? A. A polygraph test B. Medical records and a physical exam C. Written authorization from the candidate to check work references D. Verbal permission from the candidate to check work references

C. Because so many firms have been sued by applicants who discovered they had been given poor recommendations, many organizations refuse to supply information without a signed release from the past employee.

The concept of broadbanding was developed to A. Limit the autonomy of line managers B. Reduce employee mobility with the organization C. Work with flatter organization structures D. Provide narrower salary ranges

C. Broadbanding is the term applied to having extremely wide salary bands, much more encompassing than with traditional salary structures. Whereas a typical salary band has a 40 percent difference in pay between its minimum and maximum, broadbanding would typically have a 100 percent difference. This is done to reduce an organization's hierarchy that facilitates movement within the organization. The other three choices are incorrect.

Your company decided to review the exit interviews from the past two years for the finance department to determine the reasons why turnover was higher than other departments. From the analysis of the interviews, the HR consulting firm found that exiting employees for the most part left for a promotional opportunity in other organizations. It was suggested that a formal career counseling program be implemented to reverse the perception of lacking promotional opportunities. Which answer best describes the kind of program HR will be developing? A. Knowledge management program B. Succession planning program C. Career pathing program D. Talent management program

C. Career pathing is a practice in which an employee charts a course within their organization for his or her career path and career development. By creating a program in which employees can perceive other possibilities for their career, it broadens their career progression opportunities and is a helpful practice for retention of talent.

When the hiring manager stated to the applicant in the interview, "I notice that you are applying for our job and yet you have a lot more knowledge, experience, and skill than is required for the job. How do you feel about working in a job that is lower than your experience indicates you can perform?" The candidate responds with the statement, "I have always admired and wanted to work at your organization." What interviewing bias is the candidate portraying? A. Halo/horn effect B. Underachiever effect C. Cultural noise D. Similar-to-me error

C. Cultural noise is when the candidate skirts the question and is reluctant to tell the interviewer unacceptable facts about themselves.

Rx Pharmaceuticals is a company that employs both technical and scientific professions. What could it provide to have the most effective impact on retention for its employees? A. An employee work/life balance program B. A validated succession planning program C. Dual-ladder careers D. Differing telecommuting options

C. Dual-ladder careers provide opportunities for a parallel occupational track that recognizes and rewards different skill sets. This allows organizations to retain their technical and professional employees at a similar rate as their managerial track employees.

A union contract normally details the process called progressive discipline. How would you counsel nonunion employers to deal with the process? A. Progressive discipline is required only for union-represented organizations. B. There is no need for nonunion employers to have a progressive discipline process since they are probably "at-will" employers and can terminate employees any time. C. Progressive discipline is a good process for any employer. It offers "due process" to workers. And, it satisfies the legal covenant called "good faith and fair dealing." D. Employers can consider using progressive discipline, but absent a union contract, there is little motivation to use the process.

C. Due process is the effort made by employers who want to convey that they are treating employees fairly. And it does demonstrate that the employer is abiding by the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Emma has never had to manage a union contract before. As the HR manager, she is involved with the grievance-handling process as the third step in the process. At her first meeting with the union steward, the steward began yelling at Emma and telling her what she had to do to satisfy the union in this situation. Emma was stunned. What should she do? A. She has little choice but to sit there and take it. She is the employer's representative, and if she gets upset, it will only make matters worse. B. Emma should call a recess and ask for a management representative to join the meeting with her so she can have some backup in an unpleasant situation. C. Emma should recess the meeting and tell the steward that she will not continue their conversation until the steward can conduct herself in a civil manner. D. Once the steward has blown off all her steam, Emma should continue the discussion by explaining the employer's position.

C. Emma does not have to sit there and take abuse from the steward. If the steward cannot behave civilly, the meeting should end. Only when the steward can control herself should Emma agree to continue. It might also be a good idea to provide some feedback to the union president about what has happened in the meeting.

True behavioral engagement is considered to be when: A. Employees appear engaged. B. Employees work longer hours. C. Employees think and feel engaged. D. Employees actively support local community activities.

C. Employee engagement is a broad concept of employee satisfaction that leads to behaviors that positively influence business-level performance.

Under OSHA, employees do not have the right to A. Request OSHA inspections if violations exist in the workplace B. Accompany the OSHA compliance officer on an inspection C. Apply to OSHA for a temporary variance from a safety standard D. Receive training and information on workplace health and safety standards

C. Employees do not have the right to apply for relief from any of the OSHA standards, but they do have the right for any of the other options.

"Floater" employees are: A. Scheduled to work less than a regular workweek on an ongoing basis B. Self-employed independent contractors hired a contract basis for specific functions C. People who are employed by the organization receiving a W-2 who fill in on a short-term basis for a temporary period of time and may rotate among several positions or functions D. Long-term contracted temporary employees assigned to one department

C. Employees who are on the organization's payroll and fill in for temporary short-term assignments among several positions or departments are known as floaters who provide continuity of knowledge and experience.

If you receive an anonymous tip that one of the company employees is stealing employee data for identify theft purposes, you should A. Call the police and let them handle it B. Confront the employee to get their reaction C. Notify senior management and begin an investigation D. Dismiss it as an unfounded story

C. Even though the allegation is from an anonymous source, you should discuss it with senior management and, with their approval, begin an investigation to determine whether there is any truth to the story.

One hazard common to all work locations is fire. Consequently, an evacuation plan should be developed and included in the A. Material Safety Data Sheets at that location B. Illness prevention medical reference maintained at each location C. Injury and illness prevention plan D. Identification of employee problems that should be addressed

C. Every IIPP should contain an evacuation plan and directions for reassembly outside the facility so it can be determined whether everyone evacuated successfully.

When someone at work is injured and the injury is treated with Steri-Strips, OSHA classifies it as A. A reportable serious injury B. A nonreportable serious injury C. A nonreportable first-aid injury D. A reportable first-aid injury

C. First-aid treatment is a nonreportable event under OSHA rules.

Girish is a recruiter, and his company is opening several new retail facilities within the next six months in a metropolitan area. He is having difficulty locating interested candidates for their new opening project teams that will work for the first four weeks at each facility. Which program should he propose to his HR director to address the staffing need? A. Internships B. Job rotation C. Gig workers D. Cross-training

C. Gig workers are independent workers employed by an organization for short- term engagements; they have the skills and/or knowledge for a particular function.

Which of the following is not a pay differential? A. Hazard pay B. Shift pay C. Base pay D. Overtime

C. Hazard pay, shift pay, and overtime are all differentials. Base pay is the foundation of an employer's compensation program.

An injury and illness prevention plan is a tool for improving safety when A. A company receives a letter from OSHA saying they will soon be inspected B. An employer wants to cover up hazards that have been bothering people for years C. A company wants to communicate with its employees the procedures for handling certain hazards D. Personal protective devices are sent out for repair

C. IIPP is a tool for communicating hazards and the means for handling them in the workplace. It should address the specific workplace in question.

HR can influence the company's "bottom line" financially through A. Advising senior management B. Tracking birthdays C. Determining reasons for turnover rates D. Checking with colleagues in competing organizations

C. Identifying reasons for employee turnover can lead to reducing turnover and the need to hire fewer replacements, which lowers training cost and increases production output.

Employers have the right to: A. Treat employees any way they want in a democratic marketplace. B. Hire and fire people without influence from any federal law. State laws apply. C. Expect employees to work hard during the time they are on the job. D. Divide the workforce into teams that will all write letters to politicians opposing current legislative action.

C. If an employee is to be paid for a full day, the employer has the right to expect that employee to work hard for the full day in exchange for the pay.

John, a new employee, has just arrived at the orientation program where everyone completes their payroll forms and signs up for healthcare benefits. He brings his W-4 form to you and says he isn't subject to payroll withholding because he pays his taxes directly each quarter. What is your response? A. "That's okay. We won't process a W-4 form for you. We will give you a Form 1099." B. "I'll check with the accounting department to find out whether you can do that." C. "Unfortunately, all employees are subject to payroll tax withholding." D. "If you can show me a W-10 form you have submitted to the IRS, we can block your paycheck withholding."

C. If the new worker is classified as an employee, on the payroll, the IRS demands that income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax be withheld. People are not allowed to opt out because they want to file their own tax payments each quarter.

It is not true that illegal harassment can be based on: A. Sexual advances B. Racial slurs C. Persistent requests for a loan D. Persistent jokes about an employee's home country

C. Illegal harassment can be based only on a protected category under the law. These include sex, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, color, disability, genetic information, religion, and retaliation are all protections under federal law.

Jerry just arrived at work and found a sink hole in the parking lot. He is early enough that other people have not yet begun arriving for work. Because the hole is about 10 feet across at the moment, what should Jerry be doing about the problem? A. If Jerry is a management employee, he should take charge of the situation and begin the process of alerting others to the danger posed by the sink hole. B. If Jerry is a nonmanagement employee, he should give his boss a call and leave a voice mail message, if necessary, about the sink hole. C. If the sink hole poses an immediate danger of death or serious injury, Jerry should call 911 and report it. He should barricade the perimeter of the sink hole with tape or something else to prevent people from falling in. D. Jerry should first test the edges of the sink hole to see whether it could grow in size. Then he should barricade the perimeter of the sink hole so no one will fall in.

C. It doesn't matter if Jerry is a manager or not. All employees should be trained to react to imminent dangers by taking immediate action to prevent anyone from serious injury. And walking up to the edge to see if it is going to collapse is just nuts.

A benefit of job posting within an organization first is that it: A. Provides a cost-effective manner to target a desired pool of applicants at one time B. Provides an easy way to create a database for job vacancies C. Allows individuals to maximize their career opportunities within a company D. Allows existing employees to indicate interest in an opening

C. It is a morale booster and retention method to offer the existing workforce the opportunity to apply for job vacancies before an employer seeks candidates externally.

Which of the following is a nonquantitative method of job evaluation? A. Factor comparison B. Point-factor method C. Job ranking D. Job qualification

C. Job ranking determines the value/worth of a job in totality with respect to other jobs in an organization. One of the most basic and simple methods of doing this is the ranking method. Factor comparison is designed to rank job roles based on a breakdown of factors rather than the role as a whole. Point- factor analysis is a systemic bureaucratic method for determining a relative score for a job. Jobs can then be banded into grades, and the grades can be used to determine pay.

Morton is your colleague and another Associate Professional in Human Resources. He is wondering if someone who has diabetes under control by using insulin should be considered disabled. What is your advice? A. Absolutely not. When a disabling condition is controlled by medication, it is no longer considered a disability. B. When the disability is controlled with only limited insulin injections, it is no longer considered a disability. C. Even if it is controlled by insulin, diabetes is still considered a disability under the ADAAA. D. Unless the diabetes has been treated for more than 5 years, it is not considered a disability.

C. Mitigating treatment used to eliminate disability status, but no more. The ADAAA now says that mitigations may not be considered in determining disability status.

Diversity means: A. The employer must hire representatives of all backgrounds even if they aren't qualified. B. Poor job performers must be retained if they are the last representatives of their cultural background. C. Searching for qualified people from many backgrounds so they can be considered for a job opening. D. Identifying at least one person from each racial group who can be appointed to a given job title.

C. Outreach and recruiting are tools that can help achieve a diverse workforce. Only qualified people should be included in the candidate pool, and selection decisions should be made based on the best qualified.

Headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has decided that all management employees who have direct responsibility for directing the work of subordinates will have their annual evaluations include feedback not only from their direct report but also from a selection of their peers and subordinates. Which evaluation method is headquarters adopting? A. Management by objectives (MBO) B. Peer review C. 360-degree review D. Internal customer rating scale

C. More organizations are having their employees participate in perception evaluations on their bosses, peers, and co-workers, known as 360-degree evaluations. This affords an opportunity for the employee to become aware of how their behaviors and actions affect others they interact with on the job. The input offers focused areas of behavioral effectiveness and ineffectiveness for leadership and personal development plans.

All employers are subject to OSHA regulations A. As long as they have ten people on the payroll B. If they engage in interstate commerce C. Regardless of the number of employees D. Whenever state regulations don't predominate

C. OSHA rules apply to all employers. Sometimes states contract with OSHA to perform the same functions in OSHA's place.

Which of the following statement is true about medical examinations? A. Temporary employees can be required to submit to a medical exam before employment. B. Pre-employment health checklists can be requested before an employment offer is made. C. Exams must be job related and can be required only after an employment offer is made. D. The exam must be completed for the company's medical staff.

C. Only after a job offer is made can an employer require a job candidate to have a medical exam to determine fitness for duty. Only the medical examiner's conclusions about job fitness may go to the employer, not the actual test results.

Employee surveys are a good source of input about morale and can be conducted in any of these ways: A. Calling each employee into the president's office to discuss their opinions of company policies B. Telling each employee to appear at a third-party contractor's office to take part in a one-on-one 360-degree feedback session C. Paper and pencil questionnaires, online surveys, or focus groups D. Computer psychological testing that will divulge the attitude of individual employees

C. Paper and pencil questionnaires, online surveys, focus groups, and 360-degree feedback appraisals are all valid methods of conducting employee surveys.

Which of the following is not a provision of the ADA? A. Buildings financed with public funds must be accessible to the disabled. B. New public facilities must be readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. C. Pre-employment medical exams may be required before an employment offer has been made. D. The act applies to employers with 15 or more employees.

C. Preemployment exams are permitted only after an employment offer has been extended. The offer may be conditional on passing the exam.

MaryLou has decided that she will give a presentation at her professional association chapter's annual conference, based on the best practices her marketing department uses. She expects to have anywhere from 150 to 300 attendees at her breakout session. Which of the following instructional methods would be best for MaryLou to use? A. Group discussion in pairs B. Case study C. Presentation D. Demonstration

C. Presentation style will allow MaryLou to present her best practices to a large group of attendees at the same time, with minimal disruption.

Social Security, COBRA, and Medicare are examples of A. Medical benefits B. Social benefits C. Government-regulated benefits D. Employer-sponsored benefits

C. Social Security, COBRA, and Medicare are all government-regulated benefits.

The ADDIE model is an acronym that describes the five elements of __________ design. A. Interactive B. Development C. Instructional D. Talent management

C. The ADDIE model is an acronym that describes five elements of instructional design.

The Tractor and Belt Company (TBC) doesn't have an HR manager. HR is handled by the payroll clerk. When a new employee is assigned to the production department as an assembler, the payroll clerk raises a question. Should the new person be paid the same as all the other employees, all women, in the department, or is it okay to pay her more because she made more at her former job? A. There are no restrictions on the amount a new employee can be paid. It is market driven. B. The Fair and Decent Treatment Act requires all people doing the same work be paid the same amount. C. There is no restriction on the amount paid because all the incumbents are women. D. Onceavalidmarketsurveyhasbeendone,itcanbeusedtodeterminestarting pay for new people.

C. The Equal Pay Act requires men and women doing the same work to be paid the same rate. If there are no men in the job, only women, there is no Equal Pay Act issue. If all the incumbents are women, there is no employment discrimination based on sex because there is only one sex represented. So, with those conditions, there is no barrier to paying the new employee more based on her previous job's compensation.

Sandy is 15 years old and a sophomore at Central High School. She gets a job at the local hamburger drive-in. Her boss says he needs her to work the following schedule during the Spring Break week: 4 hours at lunch time every day, 9 hours on Saturday, and 6 hours on Sunday. Is that schedule acceptable for Sandy given that she has a work permit from the school? A. Because it is a school vacation week, there are no restrictions on the hours that Sandy can work. B. Only state laws impact what hours Sandy can work because it happens during a vacation week. C. Federal law says Sandy cannot work more than 8 hours a day when it is a vacation week. D. Because Sandy won't be working more than 40 hours for the week, there is no problem.

C. The FLSA prohibits people aged 14 and 15 from working more than 8 hours in a day even when school is not in session.

If a leave under FMLA can be reasonably anticipated, how much notice must the employee give the employer? A. 7 days B. 14 days C. 30 days D. 90 days

C. The FMLA allows employers to require 30 days' advance notice when the leave can be reasonably anticipated. The other choices are incorrect.

The price of gold is climbing, and folks at the Golden Nugget Mine are planning to reopen their operation. They know that safety is an important consideration. But what about federal regulations for gold mines? Are there such things? A. There are only OSHA regulations in general. All of those rules still apply. B. There are MSHA regulations to be considered, but because they are not in the coal mining business, the Golden Nugget Mine won't have to worry about them. C. MSHA rules apply to all mining operations in the United States. The Golden Nugget Mine will have to study those rules and get ready for inspections by the government. D. MSHA can tell the mine what to do, but it has no authority to conduct inspections because the Golden Nugget is not a coal mine.

C. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has jurisdiction over all mining operations, not just coal mines. It handles safety complaints and conducts inspections of both above-ground and underground mining operations. All mine operators are required to conduct their internal safety inspections and maintain records of those inspections.

Dabney is the HR manager negotiating a renewal of the contract his organization has with an international union. Since the union is international, he isn't sure if the National Labor Relations Act applies to his situation. What would you tell him? A. He's right to be concerned. It is the International Labor Relations Act (ILRA) that governs his situation with the union. B. When the union is an international organization, they get to choose between the governance of the ILRA and the NLRA. C. The NLRA governs all union interactions regardless of the union's scope of involvement. D. If Dabney's organization is negotiating in good faith, there is no law that will tell him what to do. Only if he isn't willing to negotiate will the NLRA take effect.

C. The National Labor Relations Act has effect regardless of how large the union or employer may be. The key is that operations take place in the United States.

Shelly has worked for the same dentist for more than 10 years. In all that time, there has been no mention of any special requirements for handling syringes. She arranges the doctor's equipment trays every day and cleans them up after they have been used. She just tosses the used equipment into the autoclave or into the trash if it won't be used again. If you were advising Shelly about the practices used in her dental office, what would you say? A. Needles should be broken off before they are thrown into the trash can. B. Sharps should be triple wrapped in a stiff paper to protect from sticking someone handling the trash. C. Any possible harm can be prevented if used syringes are placed into an approved sharps container. D. Putting used syringes into any solid container that is wrapped in red paper is sufficient to meet requirements.

C. The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act requires all sharps be disposed of in approved sharps containers. It also requires posting of warnings and information about blood-borne pathogens.

Under the factor comparison method, jobs are evaluated through the use of A. Predetermined wage classes B. A wage/salary conversion table C. A scale based on compensable factors D. A comparison with market pricing

C. The factor comparison job evaluation method involves a set of compensable factors identified as determining the worth of jobs. Typically, the number of compensable factors is small. Next, benchmark jobs are identified. Benchmark jobs should be selected as having certain characteristics such as equitable pay and be distributed along a range. The jobs are then priced, and the total pay for each job is divided into pay for each factor. This process establishes the rate of pay for each factor for each benchmark job. The other jobs in the organization are then compared with the benchmark jobs, and rates of pay for each factor are summed to determine the rates of pay for each of the other jobs.

When an employee is injured at work, HR should A. Notify the proper federal and state demographic agencies B. Notify the bank that there will be more workers' compensation checks needed C. Notify the workers' compensation insurance carrier D. Notify the parent company

C. The workers' compensation insurance carrier will open a case file and begin the process of managing examination, medical treatment, and recovery details.

The customer service manager in your company maintains an online log of her employee's weekly results along with praises or criticism from customers. She uses this information in the quarterly performance reviews. This is an example of what type of performance appraisal method? A. Behavior observation B. Forced distribution C. Critical incident D. Supervisory logging

C. This example best describes the critical incident appraisal method. The critical incident method refers to when a rater logs over a period of time both desired and effective behaviors with their results and ineffective behavior incidents.

Which of the following statements about a single-rate pay system is true? A. It provides opportunity for progression within a single grade level. B. It is typically used for exempt jobs. C. It disregards performance or seniority. D. It is not applicable in a union environment.

C. This is a policy of compensation whereby employees are all paid at the same rate as opposed to being paid within a pay range. This is typical in a situation where the job being performed is so similar that there really isn't room for a wide range of skill level. The other three choices are incorrect.

A worker is paid $8.50 an hour when the pay range for that assigned grade is $7 to $8 an hour. This is referred to as a A. Green-circle rate B. Pay differential C. Red-circle rate D. Compressed salary

C. When an employee is overpaid, a salary term describes their base pay as a red circle rate, or a rate of pay that is above the maximum salary for a position. A red circle policy is a common approach to addressing this situation and allowing the market to catch up with the employee's pay. A green circle rate denotes any individual employee's salary that falls below the minimum of the organization's pay range. Pay differential is simply a difference in pay in response to external factors. A compressed salary situation occurs whenever the difference in salary levels reaches a minimum difference between one level and the other. This occurs when external factors artificially inflate applicable salary levels.

Taylor is the Quality Assurance director at her organization and reports to both the Division VP at her facility and the VP of Quality Assurance located at the headquarters office. This is an example of what type of organizational structure? A. Span of control B. Formalized C. Matrix D. Chain of command

C. When the organization calls for reporting to two or more supervisors, the organization is known as a matrix organization.

What should your organization do if the requirements for the same record differ between three laws? A. Keep duplicates of each record in different files according to the differing requirements B. Make a judgment about the maximum retention based on the law that has the most importance C. Retain the information for the longest period of time required D. Keep the records for the shortest time required unless it involves a federal contractor

C. When the same or similar records are required by more than one law but the period of retention varies, retain the record for the longer period of time.

Which of the following statements about workers' compensation is true? A. It covers all of workers' health problems. B. It is funded by employers and regulated by the federal government. C. It is paid even if an accident is the employee's fault. D. It pays all injured workers the same benefits.

C. Workers' compensation is a "no-fault" insurance plan that is paid even if an accident is the employee's fault. The other three choices are incorrect.

Sophia makes it a practice to call each applicant's former employers to verify employment claims and determine whether there were any behavioral problems in prior jobs. Her company is now being sued because a new hire had an automobile accident while on a delivery run. It turned out he had a history of reckless driving charges in his past two jobs. But she wasn't told about those when she talked with the former employers. Should Sophia be worried? A. Yes. Almost certainly, Sophia will be blamed for negligent hiring. She has little defense. She should have found out about the new employee's previous employment issues. B. No. She tried to get information from the previous employers and they wouldn't talk to her. She made a good faith effort. She is off the hook. C. Yes. Sophia is going to have to explain to her attorney why she hired this person when there was such a bad history of workplace behavior. D. Yes. In this instance, she should also have conducted a search of his driving record before hiring him into a job that required driving for deliveries. She shouldn't have relied on only former employer input.

D. A background check should be tailored to the situation. For a job that requires driving, a check of DMV records and history of insurance claims should be routine. Had Sophia conducted such a check, she surely would have uncovered this history and been able to change her hiring decision.

Your branch manager is given a set of effective sales traits and is being asked to rate his salespeople on each of them on a scale of 1, being unsatisfactory, to 5, which represents outstanding. Which of the following does this appraisal method describe? A. Paired comparison B. Behavior observation C. Forced distribution D. Graphic rating scale

D. A graphic rating scale is used when an evaluator is given a set of traits and asked to rate the employee on each of them. The ratings are on a scale, typically 1 to 5.

A statement that describes what the organization does and its customer base is a: A. Vision statement B. Statement of position C. Lofty statement D. Mission statement

D. A mission statement contains a description of both organizational products/ services and the customer base for which it exists.

According to the FLSA, which of the following would be considered time worked for the purposes of overtime? A. A nonexempt employee spends 10 minutes at the end of the day cleaning up the work area. B. A nonexempt employee is given a meal break of 45 minutes when working additional hours in the evening. C. An exempt employee spends an hour traveling to and from the airport for a 1-day trip. D. A nonexempt employee travels from home to a client site after hours in response to an emergency call.

D. A nonexempt employee called back to work is paid for the time spent getting to the job and handling the emergency.

What is not a characteristic of a realistic job preview (RJP)? A. Taking a candidate on a tour of the facility B. Having the candidate job shadow C. Having a panel interview with a group of employees who are currently performing the job D. Completing a pre-employment assessment test

D. A pre-employment assessment test will measure skills and/or knowledge to perform the functions of the job, not provide the candidate with a realistic visual preview of what the job actually entails.

An AAP must include: A. A strategy to retain a percentage of older workers B. The name and qualification of the EEO coordinator C. Descriptions of reasonable accommodations for disabled employees D. An analysis of current employees in protected groups by job categories

D. An AAP includes a workforce analysis that provides data on the proportion of current employees in protected groups, an availability analysis that provides information on the number of protected group members available in the relevant labor force, and an analysis of incumbency to availability that compares the number of women and minority employees to their availability.

Which of the following terms refers to collapsing multiple pay ranges into a single-wide pay range? A. Wide banding B. Pay compression C. Green circle rates D. Broadbanding

D. Broadbanding is a term that refers to pay ranges with a wide spread. This is often done to facilitate the management of pay levels within the pay range. A side effect of broadbanding is to reduce the opportunity for promotions because of a smaller number of ranges. That can adversely affect morale.

Under which of the flexible staffing options would a professional employer organization (PEO) be most likely to provide temporary workers with benefits? A. Payrolling B. Master vendor contract C. Outsources or managed services D. Temp-to-lease arrangement

D. An organization contracts with a temp service assigning a long-term temporary worker who, after a period of time of working for the employer, transfers to the employer's payroll.

Gary is a junior at Southpark High School. He is 17 years old. The school needs some help in its warehouse during the summer, and Gary needs a job so he can save money for college. His boss is the facilities manager. Gary is assigned to work 9 hours every day during the week because one of the other employees is on disability leave. And because the other employee was the forklift driver, Gary has been given training in how to drive that equipment around the warehouse and loading dock. He likes that duty because he has been driving a car for only a few months. The forklift is cool. Is there any difficulty with the facilities manager's requirements of Gary? A. Everything the facilities manager has required Gary to do is permissible under federal laws. B. SincethereisnorestrictiontothenumberofhoursGarycanwork,everything should be okay. C. Whatever the facilities manager wants Gary to do is okay because it's only a summer job. D. Even though Gary can work unlimited hours, he cannot be assigned to drive the forklift.

D. Driving a "power-driven hoisting apparatus" is one of the 17 most dangerous jobs that may not be performed by workers younger than 18. At Gary's age, the FLSA has no restriction on the hours he may work in a week.

HR is modifying the supervisory trainee program and has decided that a case study should be added to the program, one that trainees would work on in a group. Which stage of the ADDIE model is HR currently in? A. Analysis B. Implementation C. Decision D. Design

D. During the design phase, the course developer is involved in activities related to determining which tasks participants need training on, and in this case, they have determined a case study would be the delivery method.

Olivia suspects her payroll clerk of embezzlement. She has inspected the records for the past 3 months, and the pattern is clear. But to be sure it is the payroll clerk and not the accounts payable clerk, Olivia wants to confront her and demand she take a lie detector test. A. Good going, Olivia. You caught her. Sure enough, demanding that she take a lie detector test is a good way to confirm your suspicions. B. While lie detector tests can be used for some employees, accounting employees are exempt. You can't test her. C. Lie detector tests are not permitted for any use by any employer. You can't test her. D. Lie detector tests can be required only in limited circumstances, and this isn't one of them. You can't test her.

D. Except for law enforcement, security officers, and people who handle controlled substances, lie detectors are no longer permitted in the workplace. They were commonly used prior to 1988's Employee Polygraph Protection Act.

For which of the following groups does the short test that determines exempt or nonexempt status contain no criteria related to salary? A. Executives B. Professionals C. Administrative employees D. Outside salespeople

D. For executives, administrative employees, and professionals, there is a $455 per week salary requirement.

A private-sector employer does not have the right to: A. Examine the contents of employee lockers and desks B. Listen in on customer service representative phone calls with customers C. Track drivers of company vehicles using GPS devices D. Use cameras in the employee restroom to catch smokers who should not be smoking in the bathroom

D. Generally, restrooms or bathrooms are places where cameras are not allowed for privacy reasons. Otherwise, with properly published policies, employees should probably not have an expectation of privacy in the workplace.

Your organization has a six-page performance evaluation form that management is using to evaluate employee performance annually. The requirements are to evaluate and mark a box for each performance category, selecting (1) unsatisfactory not meeting expectations, (2) inconsistent in meeting expectations, (3) consistently meets expectations, (4) exceeds expectations, and (5) above and beyond expectations. What kind of performance appraisal method is this? A. Ranking B. Checklist C. Comparison D. Graphic rating scale

D. Graphic rating scales are the oldest and most popular performance appraisal method. They assign a simple rating by using a scale describing acceptable performance to unacceptable performance.

Which of the following laws does not directly relate to a company's compensation or benefits program? A. Equal Pay Act B. Fair Labor Standards Act C. Port-to-Portal Act D. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures

D. In 1978, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, and the Equal Opportunity Commission jointly adopted the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures to establish uniform standards for employers for the use of selection procedures and to address adverse impact, validation, and recordkeeping requirements. The other choices are laws that directly relate to employers' compensation programs.

Every year Donna has to attend training on the use of the company vehicles she drives. She thinks this is a silly waste of time. Donna knows how to drive, and she knows the company vehicles. Why should she attend training every year? A. There is no federal requirement for Donna to take yearly training. B. OSHA requires training be done only once for vehicle operation. C. Only state safety provisions govern how frequently training must be done in Donna's situation. D. Safety programs must be developed that provide for refresher training on all equipment operating procedures.

D. Injury and Illness Prevention Programs are required by OSHA. Part of the identification and remediation of workplace hazards is employee training. Even if employees have been trained on equipment operation, periodic refresher programs can help overcome bad habits that might have developed. Refresher programs conducted on a yearly basis represent a reasonable interval for Donna's situation.

Mary has never before had an employee who caused a physical fight with another employee. The policy in her organization calls for progressive discipline. Mary isn't sure if she should just give the employee a warning or terminate him immediately. What would you recommend? A. This is the reason people should learnself-defense. When someone is defending themselves, there should be no reason for employer-imposed discipline. The aggressive employee should be given a written warning, though. B. It is hard for someone to start a fight by themselves. Both employees should be written up, skipping the oral warning step of progressive discipline. C. It depends on how other aggressive behavior has been treated in the past. Even though there have not been fights per se, the employee treatment should be guided by history. D. Violent behavior of any kind is justification for immediate dismissal. Even if there is no policy that says violence can result in immediate termination, that is how this situation should be handled.

D. It is hard to be absolute in any recommendation; however, this situation sounds like it should result in the immediate termination of at least the aggressive employee. It may be appropriate to also discipline the other employee depending on the outcome of an investigation.

Woodrow has been awarded a paid day off because he delivered his product development project ahead of schedule. Does this mean every time someone delivers a job in advance of the deadline they should be given a paid day off? A. Maybe. If the situations are the same or similar, the reward should be the same. B. Maybe. Assuming that the employees had the same amount of service and their projects were similar in difficulty, they should all be given a paid day off. C. Maybe. With an eye on illegal discrimination, the employer should err on the side of providing a day off with pay to anyone who completes work ahead of schedule. D. Maybe. If the employer can describe the reward as "special" based on the circumstances, it needn't create a precedent that must be followed in each future instance.

D. It is not a requirement that each person who completes their project ahead of schedule be given a paid day off. However, if we create a situation where people in similar circumstances are treated differently based on membership in a protected class, we could face a claim of illegal discrimination.

Deidre was disappointed in the lack of qualified responses to a recent print media advertisement, causing several of her open vacancies to exist for longer than anticipated. To expand her recruiting efforts, Deidre should utilize all of the following except which one? A. College/universities and job fairs B. The state employment agency C. Employee referrals D. Job bidding

D. Job bidding is only for internal existing candidates from the current workforce.

Which of the following determines the relative worth of each job in an organization? A. Job analysis B. Job specifications C. Job content D. Job evaluation

D. Job evaluation is a systematic way of determining the value/worth of a job in relation to other jobs in an organization. A job specification is a statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or function. Job specification is derived from job analysis. Job content is all that is contained within a job.

What is not a benefit of job rotation? A. Engagement in work for the employee B. Flexibility for employer staffing needs C. Multiskilled workforce D. Reduced benefit cost

D. Job rotation is the shifting of an employee between different jobs and does not usually correlate with reduced benefit costs.

Mary has had a bad encounter with her supervisor, Henry. That evening after getting home from work, she pulls out her computer and sends a blistering blog post to her Facebook page. She names her company and her supervisor. She calls him unfair, pigheaded, and without principles. What can the company do about her posting? A. The company can demand that she remove the offensive post. If she doesn't, the company can file legal action against her. B. The company can demand that Facebook remove the offensive post. If it doesn't, the company can file legal action against Facebook. C. The company is protected against such employee comments by the Fair and Decent Treatment Act and can take disciplinary action against Mary. D. The company is prohibited from any action against Mary because she is engaging in a protected concerted activity.

D. Mary is protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935. The National Labor Relations Board has taken the position that almost all postings on the Internet, whether complaining about supervisors or employers or making charges that employees are treated unfairly, are protected concerted activities under the act.

What appraisal method approach is the IT manager using when she details the strengths, weaknesses, and development recommendations for her employees? A. Management by objectives (MBO) B. Critical incident C. Ranking method D. Narrative essays

D. Narrative essay methods allow a short written description of the performance of the employee in a free-form fashion.

HIPAA does not apply to which of the following? A. Health plans B. A healthcare clearinghouse C. A healthcare provider that sends medical records electronically D. A chiropractor who has retired and sold the practice

D. Responsibilities for record privacy transfers to the new owner, assuming the chiropractor will not be retaining any medical records after the transaction.

For the past 6 years, Sam's company has been a federal contractor working on equipment for the Department of Defense. The company has additional contract opportunities coming up, and Sam isn't sure if there will be an extra burden related to disabled workers because they are subject to both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. A. Sam should rest easy. The ADA and the Rehabilitation Act are identical in their content and requirements. B. Sam's company has already met its recruiting obligations and now only has to worry about meeting ADA requirements. C. Handling job accommodation requests is a requirement of the ADA but not the Rehabilitation Act. Things should be easier. D. Whatever Sam thinks, the ADA and Rehabilitation Act requirements have applied to his company for 6 years already. Adding more contracts won't change his current obligations.

D. Sam's company will not incur any additional obligations for disabled workers if they seek additional government contracts. They have been obligated under both laws for 6 years.

Sexual harassment cannot originate from: A. A supervisor on the job B. A supervisor off the job C. A co-worker who suggests a nice hot-tub relaxation party, swimsuits optional D. A neighbor who invites the target employee to participate in a birthday celebration for his wife

D. Sexual harassment can be based only on unwanted sexual advances in some way connected to the workplace.

An employee is ready to return to work with restrictions lasting 8 months specified by his doctor. The employer A. Must make a job available that matches the restrictions for the entire 8 months. B. Must pay the employee at the old earnings rate even though the restrictions mean working at a lower-paid level. C. Must give up to a full year of restricted-duty assignment to any worker injured on the job. D. Must determine whether it is possible to keep the employee working with restrictions for that long a period. If not, the employer may choose not to return the employee to work.

D. The employer must evaluate and document its efforts to identify a placement opportunity for that duration, but it is not obligated to create a job for the restricted employee.

A(n) _______________ system is a productivity-based system in which an employee is paid for each unit of production. A. Incentive B. Merit C. Results-oriented D. Piece-rate

D. The piece-rate pay method compensates employees a set amount for each unit of work completed. For example, in a manufacturing setting, an employee receives a set amount for each item he produces, regardless of how fast or slow he works.

_____________ is the right of employees to receive benefits from their retirement plans. A. Transference B. Portability C. Social Security D. Vesting

D. Vesting is the absolute right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. The portion vested cannot be reclaimed by the employer, nor can it be used to satisfy the employer's debts. Any portion not vested may be forfeited under certain conditions, such as termination of employment.

HR has been asked to facilitate a companywide training for all forms of harassment (sexual, bullying, etc.). Which would be the best training delivery for the employees located in remote locations? A. In-person, groups of ten each B. Corporate university course C. E-learning course D. Virtual classroom

D. Virtual classroom training has been proven to be more cost effective and timely in reaching a multitude of employees in differing geographical locations

Seniority will always be the determining factor in a union agreement. A. Not always. Some union contracts will use education as the determining factor overruling seniority in the process. B. Seniority is only used by unions that have contracts or subcontracts with federal agencies. C. Public agencies rely on seniority, and they are the only ones with those agreements. D. Universally, unions will rely on seniority as the determining factor for all treatment under contract provisions.

D. We have yet to see a union contract that didn't use seniority as the determining factor for contract provisions.

Which of the following statements indicates a nondirective interview? A. The hiring manager asks all applicants the same questions. B. The hiring manager purposefully creates a high level of stress. C. Each candidate interviewed is asked different questions about the same skill and ability. D. The hiring manager's next question is formulated by the candidate's response to the previous open-ended question.

D. With nondirective interviews, the hiring manager will ask open-ended questions and provide only general direction. A response to one question by the candidate dictates what the next question will be.