Chapter 2 Concept Quiz
Which of the following produces sexual harassment because of a climate or culture that is punitive toward people of a different gender? a. Reverse discrimination b. Disparate impact discrimination c. A hostile work environment d. An adverse impact
A hostile work environment
A comparison of the racial, sex, and ethnic composition of an employer's workforce compared to that of the available labor supply is known as _____.
A utilization analysis
In the context of equal employment opportunity, which of the following is an element of an affirmative action program?
A utilization analysis
Which of the following refers to positive steps taken by an organization to actively seek qualified applicants from underrepresented groups in the workforce? -Affirmative action -The four-fifths rule -The exclusionary rule -Positive reinforcement
Affirmative action
Which of the following illustrates quid pro quo harassment? -Kevin and his male colleagues making indecent jokes whenever Rose passes by their workstations -Juan, the CEO of a firm, instructing the HR department to give a holiday bonus to all the male employees of the firm -Sue, who belongs to a minority group, being rejected for a job despite meeting all the requirements necessary for the job -Caroline's manager promising to promote her if she engages in intimate physical activities with him
Caroline's manager promising to promote her if she engages in intimate physical activities with him
In the context of the types of illegal discrimination, which of the following occurs when an apparently neutral employment practice disproportionately excludes a protected group from employment opportunities? -Disparate treatment discrimination -Practice discrimination -Pattern discrimination -Disparate impact discrimination
Disparate impact discrimination
Which of the following statements is a difference between disparate treatment and disparate impact? -Disparate treatment is a business necessity, whereas disparate impact is not a business necessity -Disparate treatment occurs when a protected group is excluded from employment opportunities, whereas disparate impact occurs when individuals in similar situations are treated differently -Disparate treatment is based on an individual's age or disability status, whereas disparate impact is based on an individual's membership in a protected group -Disparate treatment is a form of illegal discrimination, whereas disparate impact is a form of legal discrimination
Disparate treatment is based on an individual's age or disability status, whereas disparate impact is based on an individual's membership in a protected group
Milla, a 26-year-old woman, and Ross, a 25-year-old man, are quality supervisors in a beverage bottling company. Milla and Ross are both white and have similar work experience and educational qualifications. Milla realizes that her salary is 35 percent less than Ross's salary. In this scenario, Milla and Ross's company is in violation of the _____. a. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 b. PATRIOT Act of 2001 c. Equal Pay Act of 1963 d. National Labor Relations Act of 1935
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Which of the following is one of the two emerging legal perspectives on compensation and benefits? a. Executive compensation b. Intern compensation c. Paid vacation time d. Medical insurance coverage
Executive compensation
Which of the following statements is true of legal compliance and its evaluation in organizations? a. The third step in evaluating legal compliance is ensuring that managers understand the laws that govern every aspect of HRM. b. External audits can keep an organization out of legal trouble when conducted properly. c. The first step in evaluating legal compliance involves ensuring that managers conduct a thorough utilization analysis. d. Internal audits prove to be expensive and intrusive into an organization's daily routine.
External audits can keep an organization out of legal trouble when conducted properly
Which of the following is a provision of the Privacy Act of 1974? a. It prohibits employers from collecting any genetic information about their employees. b. It prohibits employers from using urinalysis to test employees for drug use on the job. c. It allows employees to review their personnel files periodically to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in them. d. It allows companies to hire external surveillance agencies to gather personal information about their employees.
It allows employees to review their personnel files periodically to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in them.
Which of the following statements is true of the labor market of an organization? -It is composed of individuals who work for a minimum of 12 hours a day -It consists solely of women employees who are either widowed or legally divorced -All jobs within the organization draw on relevant labor markets with similar characteristics -It consists of workers who have the skills needed to perform the work
It consists of workers who have the skills needed to perform the work
Which of the following statements is true of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990? a. It does not cover employees with cancer, a history of mental illness, or a history of heart disease. b. It does not consider AIDS and HIV disabilities. c. It covers mental and psychological disorders such as mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional illness. d. It covers individuals with substance-abuse problems, obesity, and other similar non-work-related characteristics.
It covers mental and psychological disorders such as mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional illness
Which of the following statements is true of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974? a. It states that all employees of an organization must receive a pension. b. It mandates that an employee receive significant tax advantages on voluntary retirement. c. It ensures that employees receive at least some pension benefits at the time of termination. d. It mandates that companies divulge complete and detailed information about their executive-compensation packages.
It ensures that employees receive at least some pension benefits at the time of termination
Which of the following statements is true of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988? a. It extends to organizations regulated by the Department of Transportation and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. b. It makes it mandatory for both public- and private-sector organizations to test employees for alcohol and drugs. c. It exempts employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission from the drug-testing rules of the act. d. It was passed to reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs in the workplace.
It extends to organizations regulated by the Department of Transportation and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Which of the following statements is true of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)? a. It can take as many as 180 days to investigate a complaint. b. It investigates and resolves complaints about alleged discrimination in organizations. c. It establishes a minimum hourly wage for different types of jobs. d. It gives the lowest priority to cases that appear to have the potential for classwide effects.
It investigates and resolves complaints about alleged discrimination in organizations.
Which of the following statements is true of discrimination against employees? -It is illegal to discriminate against employees based on aspects that are not job related -Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that an employer cannot refuse employment on the basis of past performance -It is illegal to discriminate against individuals on the basis of their years of work experience -The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination against employees under 25 years of age
It is illegal to discriminate against employees based on aspects that are not job related
Which of the following statements is true of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993? a. It was passed in response to growing concerns about the employment opportunities denied to people with various disabilities. b. It was passed in response to discrimination against employees who are 40 years of age or older. c. It requires firms to provide an employee on FMLA leave with the same or comparable job on the employee's return. d. It requires employers with more than 50 employees to provide 15 weeks of FMLA leave to an employee with a serious illness.
It requires firms to provide an employee on FMLA leave with the same or comparable job on the employee's return.
Which of the following is a feature of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938? a. It specifies that all full-time employees must be paid at a rate of one and a half times their normal hourly rate for each hour of work beyond 40 hours in a week. b. It specifies a normal workday as one in which employees spend at least 10 hours at the workplace. c. It prohibits an employer from scheduling more than 10 hours of work in a single day without paying overtime, even if the weekly total does not exceed 40 hours. d. It establishes the workweek in the United States as 35 hours per week.
It specifies that all full-time employees must be paid at a rate of one and a half times their normal hourly rate for each hour of work beyond 40 hours in a week.
Which of the following statements is true of the enforcement of laws in the regulation process of HRM? -Enforcement of federal and state laws is assigned solely to the Department of Labor -Law enforcement agencies have the power to levy fines on firms that violate laws -The court system seldom provides a vehicle for enforcement -The enforcement of laws is the third and the last step in the regulation process
Law enforcement agencies have the power to levy fines on firms that violate laws
Identify a true statement about legal compliance and its evaluation in organizations. a. Managers should rely on their own legal and HR staff to answer questions and review HRM procedures periodically. b. The first step in evaluating legal compliance involves conducting a thorough utilization analysis. c. A manager with a legal question regarding a particular employment issue is best advised to consult an external law firm. d. The third step in evaluating legal compliance is ensuring that managers engage in internal audits of their HRM procedures.
Managers should rely on their own legal and HR staff to answer questions and review HRM procedures periodically
Which of the following is a controversial area in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967? a. Voluntary retirement by employees b. Medical insurance of employees under the age of 40 c. Tax exemption on the pension of employees d. Mandatory retirement age
Mandatory retirement age
Who among the following is a victim of disparate impact discrimination? -Juanita, whose job application was rejected because she was overqualified for the position -Douglas, who was laid off because he opposed his employer's unlawful practices -Ryan, who was not given the promotion he deserved because his employer wanted to have at least five employees from minority groups in managerial positions -Sally, who had to resign from her job because her employer implemented a rule stating that all employees should keep their hair short to maintain hygiene in his restaurant
Sally, who had to resign from her job because her employer implemented a rule stating that all employees should keep their hair short to maintain hygiene in his restaurant
Which of the following statements is true of the regulatory environment of HRM in the United States? -The decisions of the government take precedence over those of the Supreme Court -State regulations are more likely to extend or modify national regulations than create new ones -The president of the United States does not have the power to create new regulations -New regulations can be passed only by local government bodies
State regulations are more likely to extend or modify national regulations than create new ones
Which of the following U.S. departments was given the power to apply the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and enforce its provisions? a. The Department of Justice b. The Department of Labor c. The Department of Health d. The Department of Finance
The Department of Labor
Which of the following is used as a basis for establishing a prima facie case of disparate impact discrimination? -The Lemon test -Prior restraint analysis -The McDonnell-Douglas test -Affinity analysis
The McDonnell-Douglas test
The radiation department of St. George Hospital frequently monitors the radiation levels of the hospital environment to ensure that employees and patients are not exposed to radiation beyond the permissible limit. This is done to ensure that no physical harm is caused to the employees and the patients. These measures taken by the hospital are in compliance with the _____.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act
Which of the following acts was passed in 1947 to regulate union actions and their internal affairs in a way that puts them on an equal footing with management and organizations? a. The Fair Labor Standards Act b. The Wagner Act c. The Employee Free Choice Act d. The Taft-Hartley Act
The Taft-Hartley Act
In the legal context of HRM in the United States, identify the institution whose decisions set precedence and play a major role in establishing the regulatory environment.
The U.S. Supreme Court
The employees of an automobile manufacturing company in the United States form a labor union to collectively address the issues they face. They engage in collective bargaining with the management for better wages and working conditions and threaten to go on strike if their demands are not fulfilled. In this context, which of the following acts most likely gave the labor union the power to collectively bargain with the company? a. The Fair Labor Standards Act b. The Wagner Act c. The Occupational Safety and Health Act d. The PATRIOT Act
The Wagner Act
Printys Inc., a software company with 3,000 employees, was acquired by another company. The new management laid off 1,000 employees without any prior warning. In this case, the company violated the _____.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
Which of the following acts stipulates that an organization with at least 100 employees must warn employees at least 60 days in advance of plans to close a facility or lay off 50 or more employees? a. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 b. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 c. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 d. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988
Which of the following occurs when a prima facie case of discrimination is filed against a company? -The company is considered guilty and is penalized under the Free Choice Act. -The company automatically loses the case. -The company is considered at fault unless it can demonstrate another legal basis for its decision that had discriminatory consequences. -The burden of proof rests with the plaintiff to prove discrimination rather than with the company trying to defend itself.
The company is considered at fault unless it can demonstrate another legal basis for its decision that had discriminatory consequences
Which of the following is by far the most common method to test for drugs on the job, is extremely invasive, and has been known to result in a fair number of false-positive tests? a. Turbidimetry b. Urinalysis c. Nephelometry d. Saliva testing
Urinalysis
Which of the following businesses can legally justify the need for a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)? -A cryobank looking for sperm donors -A hotel looking for a receptionist -A music director looking for a piano artist -A cab company looking for investors
a cryobank looking for sperm donors
The third step in the regulation process of HRM is the:
actual practice and implementation of regulations in organizations
Retaliation, a form of discrimination, occurs when:
an organization takes some action against an employee who has filed suit against the organization for illegal discrimination
The first step in evaluating legal compliance in organizations is to ensure that managers:
clearly understand the laws that govern every aspect of HRM
A form of illegal discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is _____.
disparate impact discrimination
Mohan, an Asian, works as a customer service executive in an American company. He was fired from his job by Judy, his manager. According to her, she fired Mohan because she received five customer complaints against him. However, several of Mohan's white colleagues who also had many complaints registered against them are still working in the company. In the given scenario, Mohan is a victim of _____.
disparate treatment discrimination
Doftel Corp., a telecom company, has a long-standing contract with a law firm to review its HRM procedures and practices. The law firm conducts regular audits of Doftel's policies to ensure that they comply with the concerned laws and regulations. Doftel also encourages its staff to regularly review its practices internally. In this context, Doftel Corp. is engaged in _____.
evaluating legal compliance to regulations
Forty females and sixty males applied for the position of sales representative in a company. Following the selection process, only 20 percent of the females and 80 percent of the males were hired. Despite being qualified for the job, most of the female candidates were rejected. In this case, the female candidates, being a protected class, can establish a prima facie case using the _____.
four-fifths rule
Practice discrimination is a type of discrimination that occurs:
on a classwide or systemic basis
In the context of the forms of illegal discrimination, a plaintiff must prove that an organization intended to discriminate against a particular class of individuals to demonstrate _____.
practice discrimination
The third part of the affirmative action program of an organization is:
the development of a list of action steps specifying what the organization will do to work toward reducing underutilization