Chapter Review Questions
1. 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
1. 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 and 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
1. Diversity and Inclusion touch: A. All organizations in the modern workplace B. Only employers with 50 or more workers on the payroll C. Only people of color D. Only employers settling government complaints
A
1. Elliot has just been invited to present an analysis of employee benefit programs that the executive team wants to consider for use beginning next year. How should he do that? A. An ROI analysis is the best approach. B. Getting anecdotal evidence from competitors who are using the programs is the best approach. C. Getting vendor input is critical to the best approach. D. Preparing a narrative analysis is the best approach.
A
1. Employment risks are the potential for losing things of value. They can include which of the following? A. Confidential employee data and complaint investigation records B. Job requisition information and published news articles on the organization C. Executive biographical summaries and SEC required reports D. Visitor comment cards and building maintenance records
A
1. Industry characteristics should be part of an HR professional's study list because: A. Industry requirements can vary considerably based on the type of products and services it demands. B. Industry associations demand that HR professionals submit information about employee compensation and benefit programs. C. Industry competitors are going to get greater revenues if you don't adjust your programs based on how competitors are doing their work. D. Industry representatives dictate the HR programs that must be adopted by each corporate employer.
A
1. It is commonly known that one of the senior vice presidents in your company has a business on the side that involves maintenance of electronic copy machines, including Xerox and Cannon. When your company begins its search for a new vendor to handle copier maintenance, the senior vice president raises his hand and says he can give the company a really good deal on the cost of a machine maintenance contract. What should you do when you hear this? A. Confirm that he wants to participate. Identify whatever policies or code of ethics elements may have bearing on the circumstance. If there is a conflict of interest, you can discuss it with the senior vice president and tell him he may not compete for the copier maintenance contract. If there is no conflict-of-interest policy, you can escalate the issue to the president/CEO and recommend against allowing the senior vice president's participation. B. Making exceptions to any policy when appropriate is something the HR department can recommend. It is OK to permit the senior vice president to compete for the new maintenance contract. As long as the contract is awarded based on random access data about vendor proposals, there won't be a conflict of interest. C. Identify any policy the company may have on conflict of interest. Once identified, review the conditions under which an officer of the company can submit a vendor proposal to gain revenues from your company. If there isn't such a policy, a discussion with the president/CEO would be appropriate to determine what policy elements could be desirable for future implementation. D. Why can't the senior vice president own an independent company and participate in the vendor selection process? The person who will make the vendor selection is two levels below the senior vice president, although in the senior VP's management group.
A
1. Jimmy has heard that he will be getting health care 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 health care 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
1. Jose has always been a good employee. He has been at work promptly and worked hard throughout his shift. His manager gives him top marks for his attitude and performance. The manager says, "If I had more like Jose, we would never have to worry about production." Then one day, Jose gets a call and has to rush home for a family emergency. Later, just about quitting time, he remembered he didn't clock out. He called his buddy Guillermo and asked him to punch out for him. Guillermo says, "Sure, no problem." A few days later, Jose's manager is reviewing the timecards and finds the timecard was altered from actual work hours. Jose didn't work the afternoon, but his timecard says he did. Is this a termination offense? Are there any ethical issues for you as the HR director? A. There are ethical issues if what has happened involves a cover-up at any level. Jose's lack of intention to deceive by having a friend clock him out at the end of the day may be a mitigating factor based on company policy. Endorsing the cover-up by giving Jose a "pass" on his behavior would be unethical. Falsifying timecards is still a serious issue. B. Falsifying timecards is a disciplinary issue, not an ethical issue. C. HR should not be involved in this situation. It is up to Jose's manager to dole out whatever discipline is appropriate. D. What's the big deal? Jose is a good performer. Cut him some slack. Keep him happy.
A
1. 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
1. Renaldo has just been appointed director of HR. At the same time, the company has announced a merger that will result in a new line of business. How can Renaldo make the transition easier for the merging company employees? A. Negotiate with the new company executives how the employment policies of the two companies can be merged and on what timeline. B. Negotiate with the new company executives what service awards will be presented to people in the new organization. C. Negotiate with the current company executives what office space they will be giving up to the new people. D. Negotiate with the current company executives how parking spaces will be allocated.
A
1. Savanah has just been appointed to the HR staff as an entry-level professional. What should she recognize about the need for critical evaluation in her decision-making? A. She must be able to interpret information and make business recommendations to those who will decide on the organization's direction. B. She must rely on HR analysts to provide her with evaluation of the issues she faces. Then, she should make any policy decisions needed. C. She must recognize that any situation with less than total descriptive information can't be addressed by critical evaluation. D. She must depend on her external contacts to provide the evaluation of HR policies in other organizations.
A
1. 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
1. Since 1978 the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures have required that many employers do what? A. Validate each step of their employment selection process B. Submit their employment selection process to the EEOC C. Review their employment selection process to be sure there are sufficient veteran applicants D. Publish their employment selection process each year
A
1. 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
1. 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 ten 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 is optional, but good employers are using the report as a "best practice" in safety programs.
A
1. What does guarded globalization mean? A. Developing nations are wary of opening more industries to multinational companies and are zealously protecting local interests. B. Countries are slow to invest in globalization. C. Developing nations believe it is unwise to export too much of their national resources. D. Developed countries choose not to participate with certain developing countries in trade exchanges.
A
1. What is an employment brand? A. The market perception of what it is like to work for an organization B. Product name that appears on supermarket packages C. Industry-assigned label serial number D. A recruiting slogan
A
1. When placing an employee on an international assignment, it is important to do what? A. Provide ongoing support for the individual and their family in the new location B. Provide anything needed before the family lands in the new location C. Provide assistance with language issues before the move takes place D. Provide publicity in the corporate newsletter showcasing the newly appointed employee and the assignment.
A
1. Which of the following is a common action taken in the United States to lower budgets that would most likely violate compensation laws in other countries? A. Reduce base salary levels B. Offer early retirement packages C. Delay or not fill open positions D. Downgrade job titles
A
1. Which social responsibility subject does not belong to the ISO 26000? A. Animal rights B. Labor practices C. Consumer issues D. The environment
A
1. Why should a job offer always be in writing? A. It specifies details of compensation, benefits, and employment-at-will status. B. The federal Department of Labor requires it. C. State regulations specify that only with written offers can a job be filled. D. Actually, they should not be made in writing because that constitutes a contract.
A
1. You have been serving as an HR professional for more than 20 years now. In your current assignment you have been working to identify the organization's values and strategies. And you have been working to assess HR policies to be sure they support those organizational values and strategies. Why is that appropriate? A. If HR policies don't support values and strategies, it will be difficult to get the employee body to work toward the organizational values. If strategies for the organization are different from HR policies, employees are likely to be left out of the journey to the organization's vision. B. If HR policies don't support values and strategies, it will mean that almost all employees will find it hard to link their jobs to the organizational values. C. If HR policies don't support values and strategies, the executive team will begin asking questions about the importance of the HR department to the organization. Somewhere along the line the HR department may become irrelevant. D. If HR policies don't support values and strategies, there is no problem. HR policies are in place so they can be interpreted in each case as events develop. Nothing is written in stone. It's all good.
A
A large technology company has identified a group of key managers in various departments who were hired with employment contracts that included large equity options. The company went public 2 years ago and continues to see a steady increase in stock value. There is a realization that many of these managers may retire when they are eligible to exercise their stock options in three more years. What OD activity should HR be focused on related to this circumstance? A. Review the organization's retirement plan and begin counseling discussions. B. Expand the vacation policy for this group of managers. C. Design a succession plan and identify high-potential employees. D. Hire executive coaches to help this group of management with work-life balance.
A
One of the unions representing people in your organization has just called for a boycott of your products and services. What can you do about that? A. Negotiate with the union whatever will be needed for them to cancel the boycott. B. Take the union to court and get a judgment against them. C. Begin an advertising campaign that explains how the union is wrong. D. Turn the entire problem over to the legal department.
A
The AB Trucking Co. is expanding its routes and hiring more people. Those changes will mean that employees will have to take on different work assignments. How should the HR manager handle those changes with the workforce? A. Explain the coming changes to all employees and solicit their help in deciding how to assign the new routes. Prepare a project plan and make sure everyone has a chance to see it before the implementation date. B. Explain the coming changes and tell the truckers that assignments will be made based on seniority. The new people will be assigned last. C. Explain the coming changes and let the senior executives handle the questions about how new job assignments will be made. D. Explain the coming changes and let the employees discuss among themselves how they want to assign routes to the workforce.
A
Which form of measurement is an overall yet concise picture of the organization's performance? A. Balanced scorecard B. Internal audit C. ROI D. External audit
A
1. What is a risk register? A. A financial account of insurance costs B. A record of information about identified risks C. A computer device to monitor IT performance D. A record of automotive repairs due to accidents
B
1. A home appliance 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
1. Allison is the HR manager in her organization. She has just been told she must find a supplier for employee service awards. As it turns out, she is well acquainted with all of the local companies offering such products. One of them is owned by her husband. Given that circumstance, what should Allison do about placing an order? A. Since she knows she can get a good deal from her husband's company, she should select it as the vendor. B. The professional HR code that deals with conflicts of interest would prevent her from selecting her husband's company because it could appear as favoritism for personal gain whether this is the case or not. C. As long as Allison treats her husband's company as an equal in consideration of vendors, there should be no problem. D. Allison should seek vendors outside the local area just to avoid any contamination of her ultimate selection.
B
1. An organization establishes an ESOP by: A. Deducting a small amount from the individual's pay for the purchase of stock B. Using stock as collateral to borrow capital from a financial institution C. Providing upper management with a bonus D. Having its profits distributed with favorable tax treatment
B
1. Arthur has applied for a job with the AB Transit 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. Arthur can take the test now and still refuse to participate in random tests later. D. Arthur can have his friend take the test for him.
B
1. Diversity and Inclusion programs should reach out to: A. Employees of competitor organizations B. Veterans and disabled people for their viewpoints and experiences C. Government auditors for validation of the employer's program D. News organizations that can provide justification for a diversity program
B
1. Elsie is the plant HR specialist for the Natural Springs Water bottling plant, which is the closest plant to Naples, Florida. Naples just experienced a direct hit from Hurricane Albert. The plant manager has instructed Elsie to round up employees to go with the truck drivers to deliver water to the people of Naples. What should Elsie do in seeking volunteers? A. She should ask only management employees to go with the drivers so that there is no overtime pay involved. B. She should ask employee volunteers to sign a document stating they are volunteering for this relief work knowingly, without pay, and representing the company. C. She should pay only the truck drivers and not the employees helping them. D. She should ask the plant manager for budget allocation for overtime pay for the volunteers.
B
1. Employment interviews and written tests are considered to be what? A. Essential to hiring manager acceptance of candidates B. Selection devices that must be validated according to federal regulations C. HR purview only D. Always acceptable if the tests are bought "off the shelf" and not created in-house
B
1. 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
1. 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? A. 1 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
1. Latisha is a new HR analyst. She has been tasked with training her contacts in client departments on the changes in medical insurance benefit programs for this year. How should she handle that assignment? A. Provide managers the option to sit in on the training or skip the program. B. Study the benefit programs so she is an expert in the provisions of each plan and all the changes that will be made this year. C. Take the literature from the insurance companies and distribute it to the client managers in the training session. D. Ask the registration clerk to come along to the training sessions to answer questions about the plans.
B
1. Pete is sensitive about 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 manager, 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
1. 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
1. Shirley is new to her job as director of human resources. She has been asked by the CEO to prepare a business case supporting HR's representation in executive strategic planning sessions. What should Shirley do to create that business case? A. She should give the job to her lieutenant as a developmental assignment. B. She should follow the ten-element process from problem identification to action planning. C. She should identify at least five reasons why HR needs to be included in the planning process. D. She should call a friend at a competitor's company and ask what they did.
B
1. 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. Steve should call the crane operator's spouse to let her know about the tragedy.
B
1. The Equal Pay Act prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of what? A. Race B. Sex C. Seniority D. Merit
B
1. 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 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
1. Training for job selection interviewers is: A. Never needed B. Essential for all managers and supervisors C. Needed for supervisors who are new to employment selection interviewing D. A good idea for people who have been hired from competitor's organizations
B
1. What are the stages of the strategic planning process? A. Formulation, buy-in, communication, evaluation B. Formulation, development, implementation, evaluation C. Development, communication, buy-in, implementation D. Senior management development, communication, implementation, evaluation
B
1. What are the two primary dimensions of behavioral situational theories of leadership? A. Effective leaders let their contributions be known as expertise. B. Listening more is helpful to leaders. C. Leaders are more logical and analytical rather than intuitive and emotional. D. Being more optimistic and less negative about the organization's strategy.
B
1. What is diaspora? A. Any medical condition that presents as an upset stomach B. Any people or ethnic population forced or induced to leave the traditional homeland C. Any common grouping of workers who commute across international borders D. Any group of people who are collectively working to upgrade their personal skills
B
1. When inputs to HR on any given workday become so varied and intense, the HR professionals must do what? A. Issues should always be handled in the order they were received. "First in, first served" should be the motto. B. HR must do triage and determine the priority for each new issue. Then deal with issues in priority order. C. Priorities, once set, should not be changed. Commitments must be honored and receive attention as originally determined. D. Benefits issues should always be handled first, followed by payroll issues and union issues.
B
1. Which CSR guideline framework was one of the first initiatives relating to corporate governance? A. United Nations Global Compact B. OECD C. The Caux principles D. SIO 26000
B
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, sharing the 40 hours each week so the work got done as always. What would you say if you were Cortez? A. Unfortunately, the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Unified Job Consolidation Act say that sharing jobs is not permitted because it would violate union agreements. B. There is no reason that it couldn't work if Cortez believes the two people are capable and want to make it work. C. Having more than one person and one Social Security number on one job assignment won't work. It makes tax reporting impossible. D. It's not a good idea because it doubles the liability for workers' compensation and unemployment insurance.
B
Employees are sometimes caught up in downsizing efforts that are aimed at budget control. What are employers required to do when designing downsizing programs? A. Compare them to programs that were used by other employers with headquarters in their same city. B. Analyze their estimated results for age, race, and sex discrimination. C. Determine how many people will be affected from each department. D. Give the CEO and board of directors a written report on the downsizing impact on the organization's budget.
B
HR in the twenty-first century embodies: A. A tactical administrative role and a strategic operational role B. A strategic administrative role and a strategic operational role C. A strategic administrative role and a tactical operational role D. A support role for corporate strategies only
B
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) provide HR managers with special problems of cultural differences. To make sure that the cultures don't clash after the merger, the HR manager should: A. Assign a subordinate to monitor the complaint levels and report on problems that are being addressed. B. Conduct meetings with key players from each organization to outline the cultural values of each organization and determine how best to protect them in the blended employer unit. C. Send memos to department heads that specify the new cultural characteristics and express the expectation that the department heads will "make it happen." D. Provide written complaint forms to all employees and express a willingness to listen to any comments the employees have to make about the merger.
B
One of the most important competencies of an HR professional is: A. Skilled project manager B. Masterful change agent C. Excellent time management skills D. Listening
B
The local county's workforce has been decimated in recent months because the pension plan is changing and folks wanted to get their higher-level calculation before the changes cut that formula. The result, however, has been that a great deal of organizational intelligence walked out the door. The senior staff are suggesting you hire back some of the key personnel as temporary workers until you are able to get replacements trained. Is that a good idea? A. Hardly ever. It gives the newly retired people a way to "double dip" and make more money than they would have if they had stayed on the job without retiring. B. Sometimes. If the temporary period is truly used to train a replacement, it could get the organization across the institutional knowledge gap, passing along that information to someone new. C. Always. There is no downside to bringing back retirees as temporary workers. So what if they make a bit more? The work gets done without interruption. D. Maybe, if there is a limit of 6 months on the temporary assignment in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
B
When participating in a merger or acquisition, part of the process includes assembling data from the "due diligence" process. In many jurisdictions much of the information about employer liabilities requires disclosure. These things could include: A. The number of parking spaces that have disabled markings and the quantity of fire extinguishers in the building. B. The number and type of discrimination complaints, and the number and type of law suits dealing with employee management issues. C. The number and type of safety classes held for employees each year. D. The amount of budget allocated to overtime versus straight time payroll.
B
1. An employee elects a $500 annual deferment in his Section 125 Flexible Benefits Plan. His employer pays an FSA claim for $500 in March. In April, the employee terminates his employment after deferring only $290 to his plan. What happens in this situation? A. The employee must pay the company $290 for the amount in excess of his actual deferral. B. The employer may withhold $290 from the employee's final paycheck. C. The employee is entitled to the full reimbursement for $500. D. The employee becomes ineligible for the full FSA reimbursement.
C
1. Diversity and Inclusion programs: A. Explain that minorities and women must be hired at a certain rate B. Provide managers with mandates for recruiting only minorities C. Make it possible for all employees to contribute to the workforce D. Supersede EEO and affirmative action programs
C
1. Elliott is a senior HR analyst in his organization. What impact do you think new state and federal laws will have on his work? A. It depends on whether the new laws have local impact. HR can't make that determination. It is important for HR professionals to get outside legal input. B. It is the legal staff that should be paying attention to the new laws. HR really has no significant role to play in that regard. C. Each new piece of legislation that impacts HR issues is important and must be a consideration for Elliott's analysis work. D. In these days, having an attorney on the HR staff is a good idea. Elliott should always rely on that HR staff lawyer.
C
1. Employee affinity groups can provide: A. Mandates for hiring more people like those in the affinity group B. Enticement for other employees to form their own groups as a defense C. Input on diversity programs and suggestions for changes D. Secrets to why language options should be permitted
C
1. HR manager Sue makes sure that her HR staff has access to leading best practices and theories. What key element of Sue's leadership is she demonstrating according to Kouzes and Posner? A. Challenging processes B. Inspiring shared vision C. Enabling her staff to act D. Encouraging spirit
C
1. HR's role in setting up global business presence involves which of the following? A. Updating the employee handbook for the new location languages B. Providing accounting with the payroll tax withholding rates for the new location(s) C. Providing due diligence in issues related to the workforce D. Issuing newsletter updates about the progress being made in opening distant locations.
C
1. Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory is based on which two categories of needs? A. Psychological and basic needs B. Motivational and security needs C. Extrinsic and intrinsic needs D. Safety and self-esteem needs
C
1. 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
1. It's May and the start of your "season of the interns." Your company is a federal contractor and always hires student interns to expose them to actual workday requirements of the job and ideally have them consider working here after they graduate. Yesterday, your CEO came to you and said his next-door neighbor's daughter needs a job, and he said she could work here. He wants you to put her on the payroll. What should you do? A. There is no ethical conflict. The executives of the company get to decide how the company will be staffed. Hiring by directive is an acceptable and ethical strategy. B. You should explain the ethics of not getting a job requisition number to start with. Once that is done, you can hire the neighbor's daughter and close the job requisition without a problem. C. You should explain the ethics of following the company's hiring process. Federal contractors would find it particularly problematic when complying with recruiting and hiring regulations come into play. You need to assess how ethical it would be to open a job requisition and then close it with only one candidate without any announcement of opportunity to others. D. You can ignore the normal process and just do what the CEO has asked you to do. The boss is in charge. Anything they want can be done.
C
1. 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 no management 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
1. John, a new employee, has just arrived at the orientation program where everyone completes their payroll forms and signs up for health care 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
1. Juanita is the HR representative for her assigned department. She handles all of the HR issues that come up. Recently, Juanita saw an article in the news about a new requirement that will likely impact her company's workers. She decides that the company lawyers will probably take responsibility for digesting that information and distributing it to the HR professionals. What would you tell Juanita about her decision? A. Her decision is a good one. She obviously doesn't have time to spend scouring through the news for new HR requirements. And it is the lawyer's responsibility to follow legal changes, right? B. Her decision is a good one. She doesn't have responsibility for tracking new legal requirements that apply to HR management issues. C. Her decision is not a good one. She should accept responsibility for detecting and studying new legal requirements as they apply to the HR profession. Certification requirements point out that it is the HR professional, as well as the legal staff, who should be monitoring these changes. D. Her decision is not a good one. It isn't the inside attorney who should be monitoring these new requirements; it is the outside attorney. What else does that consulting attorney do if not tracking legal requirement changes related to the HR staff?
C
1. Reviewing applicant résumés to determine who meets the minimum qualifications for a job opening is: A. An example of an employment decision B. Subject to disparity testing C. Not an employment decision D. A way to determine their salary requirements
C
1. Rolly has been director of HR at his company for 2 years. He is now facing the task of making use of all the employee data that is available to him. What should he do? A. Delegate the project. Get a clerk to gather all the data and find a way to handle it. B. Bring in a consultant to write a computer program that will digest the employee data and spit out comparisons that will help in decision-making. C. Review the data personally and determine which analytical tool he should use to "crunch the numbers" and get some comparative results. D. Send the data to a consultant off-site for review and analysis.
C
1. Sadie is a new HR analyst, and this is her first professional HR job. Her first assignment is to determine how other companies in the area are handling the problem cost of housing is creating for employee recruiting. What should Sadie keep in mind above all else? A. Never disclose any information to other companies. B. Don't discuss the issue with any of our own employees. C. Her credibility will be based on the quality of the work she produces. D. She should call her boss each time a question comes up about the project.
C
1. 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
1. 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
1. Sofia has just been asked to draft a new policy for employee engagement efforts and programs. What key components should her analysis include? A. HR, accounting, production, and budget B. Office staff, production staff, recruiting staff, and legal staff C. Productivity, engagement, recruiting, retention, and budget D. Competitors, industrial associations, congressional actions, and budget
C
1. 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 to be paid the same amount. C. There is no restriction on the amount paid because all the incumbents are women. D. Once a valid market survey has been done, it can be used to determine starting pay for new people.
C
1. The best way managers and HR professionals can learn from others is to: A. Encourage employees to send in anonymous suggestions for improvement B. Invite them to correct the manager's decision-making methods C. Express self-awareness and humility D. Tell them you understand their culture pretty well
C
1. The first step toward having an emergency response plan is to: A. Be sure all emergency exits are properly marked B. Write a policy for evacuation in an emergency C. Conduct a risk assessment for your work location D. Assign development for the emergency plan to an HR person
C
1. 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
1. What are key risk indicators (KRIs)? A. Indicators of how well something is being done B. Indicators of how much insurance covers the employer C. Indicators of future adverse impact D. Indicators of company risks compared to competitor risks
C
1. What does PEST mean? A. Rodent Tracking and Removal Service B. Payroll, employment, systems, and training C. Political, economical, social, and technological D. Personal, exceptional, systemic and training
C
1. When Achmed became an HR professional, there were only four people in the HR department. The other three staff members were women. Achmed has trouble working with women and giving them the respect, they deserve. Nonetheless, he attempts to be careful to make sure that doesn't interfere with his personal job interactions. Achmed should do the following to be sure his bias doesn't impact his job-related decision-making. A. Often bias won't surface except in rare circumstances. Achmed should not be worried. He knows his colleagues will tell him when he has become too obnoxious. B. What does it matter if he is a bit heavy-handed with the women he interacts with on the job? In the end, it is really his decision that counts. As long as it doesn't reflect a bias, there should be no issue. C. Ask for feedback from women with whom he interacts. Request that they tell him how he can improve his interpersonal skills. Ask for input about his fairness in approaching the problem being discussed. He can work on identifying when his bias is trying to break through and influence his decision-making. D. The best approach is for him to wait for women to get upset with him so he can get good input about his bias.
C
1. Which of the following is not a pay differential? A. Hazard pay B. Shift pay C. Base pay D. Overtime
C
A detailed HR analysis during the HR strategic process serves what purpose? A. Creating HR's goals and objectives B. Reviewing the code of ethics C. Identifying the HR gaps D. Identifying key employees
C
As the HR professional in your organization, you've been asked to submit a recommendation for the best way to convert to the matrix form of organizational structure. What is the most important issue you might encounter? A. Matrix organizations don't have strict reporting relationships, so supervisors will be upset at their loss of control. B. Because the matrix organizations are "loose" in their management oversight, results may need to be monitored by executives more carefully. C. When matrix organizations are formed, it takes some time for people to get used to working in that type of configuration. There is a "break-in" time required. D. Unions object to matrix organizations because they impinge on union representation authority.
C
BYOD policies must be carefully crafted to make sure these things are addressed: A. That dogs brought in the workplace are well behaved and always on a leash B. Legal compliance with current technology C. Security, legal compliance, and privacy of both employee and organization D. That all levels of employees are offered to bring their dogs into the workplace
C
Besides activities, HR should also measure: A. Progress against goals and objectives B. Meetings C. Results and outcomes D. Projects and initiatives
C
HR professionals must be able to explain to employees the status they enjoy with the employer. While some employers operate by specifying that status to every employee in writing, those who opt not to do that will wind up operating with what type of employment relationship? A. All employees will have oral contracts based on the promises made during the interview process and conversations about the job offer. B. There are never any contracts made in the employment process, oral or otherwise. The default is a relationship based on promises from the employer. C. In the absence of contracts, the relationship is "at will" for each party. D. "At will" employment is never a default. It must be specified. So, the default employment relationship is "as promised."
C
Harriet has just taken over for the HR manager in her group, and her boss is asking for an update on the succession plan. He wants to see the employee skill inventory as soon as possible. Harriet didn't even know there was a succession plan. What should Harriet be looking for in her files? A. A confidential record that lists each employee's skills and abilities B. A list of only the top-rated people in the group who have computer skills C. A list of everyone in the group identifying each person's skills and whether they are currently ready for promotion D. A list of people showing what individuals are capable of doing now, without regard for any future assignment
C
Human resource management as a function within employer organizations has developed into a critical business participant because: A. Strategic business success can be accomplished only if minor staff functions are given some consideration in planning conferences. B. Accomplishment of organizational objectives is dependent upon strategic deployment of all resources, including human resources. C. Finding a seat at the table with other senior executives requires HR executives to contribute to strategic efforts and offer accountability for resource management. D. HR management is a function closely allied with accounting and finance, so strategic management of finance can't be complete without a contribution from HR.
C
One of your employees has just been discovered stealing large amounts of money from the accounts receivable account. You have the evidence in hand. What should you do about that? A. Reason with the employee and try to get them to give the money back. B. Suspend the employee for 2 weeks while the employee tries to stop taking drugs. C. File a police report of theft/embezzlement and criminal complaint against the employee and then terminate the employer from the payroll. D. Call the insurance company to file a claim of loss.
C
The process of analyzing and identifying the need for availability of human resources so that the organization can meet its objectives is known as: A. Strategic planning B. PEST analysis C. Human resource planning D. Organization planning
C
What are three of the six types of strategic differentiation? A. Service differentiation, accounting differentiation, employee differentiation B. Reputation differentiation, leadership differentiation, employee differentiation C. Product differentiation, relationship differentiation, price differentiation D. International differentiation, competitor differentiation, banking differentiation
C
What is the goal of an HR audit? A. Demonstrating value B. Controlling costs C. Identifying the existing gaps in HR processes D. Comparing human capital to organizational needs
C
1. According to COBRA, a company with 20 or more employees must offer: A. Health insurance to its employees B. Continued medical insurance coverage to employees terminated for gross misconduct C. COBRA benefits to workers if the company terminates its health plan D. COBRA benefits to spouses of deceased workers
D
1. Anton has been VP of HR for 3 years now. He has been gradually adding metrics to the HR department since he took over as leader. Are there practical limits to the amount of metrics that can exist in an organization? A. Yes. If there are too many metrics, nobody will get anything done other than generating data for the measurements. B. No. Any quantity of measurements is acceptable as long as each one can be linked to another department. C. Yes. More than ten metrics will choke an HR department and bring its production to a standstill. D. No. Any amount of metrics is acceptable as long as they are each measuring a critical component of HR work product.
D
1. As a new venture, your company is doing quite well. When you arrived to head the HR department, however, there were no company policies. You believe they are necessary so everyone on the payroll can know what is expected of them. Almost immediately you set off to create policies for conduct expectations, honesty expectations, time-off rules, and payroll expectations. Then a complaint is filed against your boss claiming he has been having a sexual relationship with one of the HR department clerks. Is this a problem? Why? A. Yes. It's a problem because complaints mean a lot of people will start nosing around, poking themselves into private affairs. B. No. It's not a problem. As long as the clerk doesn't report directly to your boss, there can be no negative impact from their consensual relationship. C. Yes. It's a problem because HR professionals are expected to set the standard for ethical behavior. Having a sexual relationship with someone in his own department says to other employees that it is OK to ignore training about sexual harassment and do whatever you want. D. No. It's not a problem as long as the relationship is consensual, and the clerk is over 21 years old. Where is this complaint coming from anyway?
D
1. Contingency plans explain: A. How to handle whistle-blower exposure B. How to bring the organization into governmental compliance C. How to respond to discrimination complaints D. How the organization will continue running in the event of a catastrophe
D
1. Diversity and Inclusion programs can include: A. Special benefits based on cultural background B. Special hiring bonus based on minority or female status C. Executive endorsement of hiring preferences D. Celebrations based on specific cultural groupings
D
1. 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
1. 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
1. 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. Since there is no restriction to the number of hours Gary can work, 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
1. HR professionals must be open to the ideas of others based on: A. The financial backing that they can offer B. The similarities they have to U.S. expectations C. Decisions made at headquarters that demand conformity to policies D. Experience, data, facts, and reasoned judgment
D
1. It is Thursday, and just as you reach your desk, the phone rings. On the other end of the line is an employee saying one of the company's executives sexually assaulted her. After a 3-month-long investigation, you have gathered volumes of testimony from the employee's co-workers. But there were no witnesses to the assault. And the executive has denied all charges. He didn't even contend a consensual encounter was behind the current complaint. He just says, "Nothing happened." During the complaint investigation you discover this accused executive is the key contact for your company with a major international customer. What will you do at the conclusion of the investigation, assuming the employee has more credibility than the executive in this complaint? There are no witnesses to the assault, but co-worker statements support the employee's credibility as well. The company sees itself as an ethical organization, and it rewards managers for ethical behavior on occasion. A. The key contact status is a major mitigation of the sexual harassment charges. The company can't afford to lose the customer's business. It would be appropriate to support retention of the executive in the current job until some other person is able to take over as key contact with that customer. B. Immediate suspension is appropriate in this circumstance. There is no ethical barrier to taking that action. C. Ethics are not an issue in this type of situation. The best business decision is to keep the executive in his job and reassign the complaining employee to some other work group. D. Postponing any discipline or corrective action with the executive because of his key contact status with a key customer is wrong. It amounts to treating the executive differently from the way other management people have been treated in similar circumstances if you ignore the key contact component. Inconsistency in treatment is unethical. You decide to recommend appropriate discipline based on the evidence you have and comparable other cases. It doesn't matter how much pressure you are getting to do otherwise.
D
1. 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 protected concerted activity.
D
1. 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
1. Shimone has been recently promoted to senior HR representative. On nearly the first day of her work in the new position, one of her internal clients comes to her with a request to approve an expense voucher. When she reads the voucher, she sees it will be a payment to a foreign government agency to help facilitate her company's sale of product to their country. What ethical issues, if any, should Shimone be cognizant of? A. There are no ethical issues. It is a legitimate government payment like any permit application process in this country. B. There is an ethical issue. HR should support every sales effort regardless where it is taking place around the globe. Yet, Shimone is right to be concerned. She has approval authority only up to a certain amount. In this case, she will "fudge" the limit and sign off anyway. C. There are no ethical issues. There is nothing in this transaction that would raise any questions about ethics. D. There is an ethical issue. The story sounds like she will be giving a bribe to someone in the foreign government. That is both illegal and unethical.
D
1. The key benefit to developing long-term goals is: A. Showing the interaction of planning, people, and processes B. Separating the effects of culture against the intentions and goals C. Increasing the influence on internal factors D. Aligning the use of resources with intended strategic goals
D
1. There is so much data involved in HR problems. How is a new HR professional supposed to handle it all? A. Every HR professional must be a certified professional statistician so all the data analysis can be certified as accurate. B. There is no need for HR professionals to be certified professional statisticians; they just need to be able to do a defensible regression analysis with 15 or more variables. C. When the data elements get to be overwhelming, HR professionals should just pick the most important for their analysis and ignore the rest. D. Refining problem statements so they are more specific is one important way to reduce the data overload problem.
D
1. What did Perimutter identify? A. Certain countries don't behave fairly in international trade agreements. B. Developing countries are the best type of trade partners. C. Unknowns must be revealed before international trade can begin. D. Classifying alternative management orientations can be classified into four categories.
D
1. What set of sustainability guidelines was created by a network of business leaders from Japan, Europe, and the United States? A. ISO 26000 B. OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises C. SA8000 D. Caux principles
D
1. What should not be in an employee's personnel file? A. Job description B. EAP consent form C. Performance improvement program records D. Insupportable opinions
D
1. Which is considered to be an HR strategic task in an organization? A. Developing an ergo training program to reduce repetitive injuries B. Ensuring backup and retention of records off-site C. Administering new hire orientation D. Providing analysis to management to forecast workforce needs
D
1. Which of the following laws does not directly relate to a company's compensation or benefits programs? A. Equal Pay Act B. Fair Labor Standards Act C. Port-to-Portal Act D. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures
D
1. Why are written job descriptions a good strategic tool? A. They give incumbents a reference so they don't do something they aren't supposed to do. B. It is important to be able to follow responsibility trees in writing. C. Federal civil rights enforcement agencies insist on written descriptions. D. They provide reference for job seekers as well as incumbents, managers, and supervisors.
D
1. Why is it important to measure turnover, retention rate, and reasons why people leave the payroll? A. They are all things the CEO wants to know. B. They can contribute to a monthly HR report to the executives. C. They are examples of reports HR professionals need clerical support to generate. D. They can all help control costs.
D
1. You have been asked to develop a 5-year budget for the HR function. In what way would the existence of the organization's strategic plan be of help to you in the development of the multiyear budget? A. Because it's a budgeting activity, it will help in providing increase allotments for employees. B. The goals identified in the strategic plan will give you an idea of how to allocate monies for each year. C. The strategy plan will help you compete for training dollars versus marketing dollars. D. It will cause you to identify and prioritize the HR activities and their needed resources that align with the strategic plan's goals.
D
A departmental manager has called you to report that a union steward has been behaving badly in grievance meetings. What can you do about that, if anything? A. Nothing can be done about that. B. Call the steward in for a chat. Explain that they will be disciplined if they don't change their behavior. C. Advise the manager to suspend the steward for bad behavior. D. Call the union president and discuss the problem. Ask the union president to control the steward's behavior.
D
The Tasty Good Corporation downsized because of intense global competition and modified its strategic business plan for the year. The most important task that the HR department's training and development function needs to do to support the change is to: A. Cost-justify training. B. Work with employees on accepting the change. C. Evaluate the effectiveness of all training programs. D. Link training and development to the new strategic plan.
D
What is the main reason HR is considered a valuable player in the strategic planning process? A. Ability to provide programs B. Total rewards administration C. Access to employment laws D. Knowledge of the entire organization
D
