Exam SPHR: Senior Professional in Human Resources
Exam SPHR: Senior Professional in Human Resources
Exam SPHR: Senior Professional in Human Resources
HRCI
Exam SPHR
Senior Professional in Human Resources
Version: 6.0
Question No : 1 - (Topic 1)
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 2 - (Topic 1)
A church has announced a position for a new minister. One of the requirements of the new
minister, however, is that this person be a member of the faith of the church that is hiring.
This is an example of which of the following in regard to Title VII?
A. Piece-rate system
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 3 - (Topic 1)
A business professional must plan on the direction and mission of the organization.
Questions that direct the business ask where is the business now, where does the
business want to go, how will the business get there, and how will we know when it has
arrived. What term is assigned to this business introspection?
A. Planning
B. Mission building
C. Strategic planning
D. Vision
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
Question No : 4 - (Topic 1)
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 5 - (Topic 1)
What is the compa-ratio for an employee that earns $75,000 per year, but the midpoint for
the role is $85,000 per year?
A. 88 percent
B. 113 percent
C. $10,000 difference
D. 1:88
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Question No : 6 - (Topic 1)
You are an HR Professional for your organization. Your organization employs 120 people
in the United States. You are required to file the EEO-1 report for your organization by what
date?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 7 - (Topic 1)
Mark is an HR Professional for his organization and he has been given the assignment to
create an Affirmative Action Plan for his company. Mark will also be considered to be
designated the responsibility for this Affirmative Action Plan. What does the designation of
responsibility mean?
A. It means that Mark will be the person that reports on the plan's implementation to
management
B. It means that Mark will be the person responsible for actually implementing the plan
C. It means that Mark will be the person that reports on the plan's implementation to the
Department of Labor
D. It means that Mark will be the manager for all Affirmative Action scenarios and issues
within his company
Question No : 8 - (Topic 1)
Each collective bargaining agreement outlines the process to file a grievance. Most
agreements define a four-step approach to the grievance procedure. During which one of
the following steps of the grievance procedure, might the president of the local union meet
with the manager of the plant at which the employee with the grievance works?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
Answer:
Question No : 10 - (Topic 1)
According to Knowles, there are five key assumptions about how adults learn. One of the
assumptions is the learner's need to know. Which of the following statements is best
associated with the assumption of the learner's need to know?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 11 - (Topic 1)
Your organization has employed a temporary worker for a position in your company. During
employment the individual has been called to military duty. Under the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 are you obligated to reinstate the
individual upon his return from duty?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
What term is assigned to the barriers that women and minorities may face when trying to
advance to senior levels of an organization?
A. Societal barrier
B. Internal structure barrier
C. Governmental barrier
D. Glass ceiling
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 13 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following HR strategies would be most useful in dealing with a workforce that
lacks accountability?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Employee-engagement activities center around the function of
gathering meaningful feedback. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are just some of the
examples of formal feedback systems that can be used to improve organizational
outcomes. From this feedback, solutions such as training (A) and targeted performance
Question No : 14 - (Topic 1)
Your organization offers an employees' retirement benefit program that is covered by the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The administrative responsibility for
enforcement of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 is divided among
three government agencies. Which one of the following is not a government agency that
helps to enforce ERISA?
A. IRS
B. Department of Labor
C. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
D. FDIC
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 15 - (Topic 1)
An employee earning $22,500 per year supervises three employees and spends 35 hours
per week on essential job duties that require discretion and independent judgment. Which
of the following describes this employee?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Effective in 2004, employees must be paid a minimum of $455
per week to be exempt from FLSA requirements. This employee earns only $432.69 per
week. ($22,500/52 weeks = $432.69.) Although D is also correct, the best answer is the
one that explains why. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Question No : 16 - (Topic 1)
As a Senior HR Professional for your organization, you're coaching one of your employees
on civil rights and employment. What does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
accomplish?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
All of the following reasons for termination of an employee are examples of wrongful
termination except for which one?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 18 - (Topic 1)
Mark is a contractor for the CleanSweep Chimney Company. When the CleanSweep
Chimney Company has work that they can't manage they'll send Mark to the customer site
to quote on the work based on their standardized fees and complete the work on their
behalf. The company will pay Mark for his time. Mark, however, often tells the home
owners what the CleanSweep Chimney Company will charge, but he can personally do the
job for less than the CleanSweep Chimney Company. What is this an example of?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Question No : 19 - (Topic 1)
Your organization uses ADDIE for developing new seminars and training. During the
design of the course, you need to follow four distinct steps to create a good training design.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four steps of design?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 20 - (Topic 1)
Beth is a HR Professional for her organization and she's discussing the risk of growing her
organization's business. What is risk and why would it be considered in HR for
organizational growth?
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 21 - (Topic 1)
An organization has over 5,000 employees and a union has been trying to persuade the
employees to join their union. Before the employees can vote in a union election, what
percentage of the employee population must sign an authorization card for the union?
A. Ten percent
B. Thirty percent
C. Fifty percent
D. Eighty percent
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
One factor of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection is reliability during interviews.
Which of the following statements is the best description of reliability during interviews?
A. Interviews should adapt job-related questions for each candidate for a particular position
based on the candidate's experience.
B. Interviews should prepare and consistently use a list of job-related questions that will be
asked of all candidates for a particular position.
C. Interviews should prepare and consistently use questions that will be asked of all
candidates based on the candidate's submitted resume.
D. Interviews should prepare and consistently use a list of job-related questions that will be
asked of all candidates for all employment positions within the organization.
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 23 - (Topic 1)
You are a HR Professional for your organization and your supervisor is asking you about
the details of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and what it means to your company. He wants to
know what the total damages could be if an organization is found liable by a jury trial. What
is the maximum amount that could be awarded to a victim of discrimination if the
organization is found liable?
A. $50,000
B. $300,000
C. $500,000
D. There is no limited amount as the jury can determine damages
Answer: B
Question No : 24 - (Topic 1)
You are the HR Professional for your organization and you've identified a risk event. The
risk event can be mitigated by purchasing an insurance to protect the organization. The
purchase of the insurance policy is what type of risk response?
A. Avoidance
B. Transference
C. Acceptance
D. Sharing
Answer: B
Explanation: Answer option B is correct.Transference doesn't make the risk go away, but
it transfers the risk to a third party, usually for a fee. Purchasing insurance is an example of
transference.
Transference
Transference is a strategy to mitigate negative risks or threats. In this strategy,
consequences and the ownership of a risk is transferred to a third party. This strategy does
not eliminate the risk but transfers responsibility of managing the risk to another party.
Insurance is an example of transference.
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Kelly's organization has posted a new job opening for their organization. This job opening
is for a woman to be the restroom attended, for all women's restrooms and locker rooms, in
their organization. Kelly believes, however, that the requirement for the applicant to be a
female is a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Which one of the
following is the best answer for this scenario?
A. The sex of applicants is excluded from the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
B. This is an example of a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
C. This is an example of an exception by bona fide occupational qualification to the Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
D. This is not a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because there is an
equal paying and titled job for the men's restroom and locker rooms in the company
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 26 - (Topic 1)
Nancy is creating training manual for her organization. She wants to use a photo as the
course cover, but you think the photo is likely protected under copyright laws. How long
does copyright protection last for photos?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
Question No : 27 - (Topic 1)
Beth is a nonexempt employee and she earns $17.45 per hour in her job. She has worked
40 hours this week, but management has requested that Beth work seven more hours this
weekend. What is the total payment, before taxes, that Beth will be due for her work this
week?
A. $820.15
B. $698
C. $1,230.22
D. $881.22
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Question No : 28 - (Topic 1)
Your organization likes to use mediation rather than lawsuits to find amicable resolutions to
issues and disputes. When mediation is required, there are several steps to the process.
What step of the mediation process identifies alternative solutions to the problem?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 29 - (Topic 1)
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Pilot group
B. Focus group
C. Workshop
D. Brainstorming session
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A focus group is often used to find an employee-driven solution
to a problem. Focus groups typically, but not always, include sampling of employees from
across the organization. Focus groups should be led by neutral moderators, rather than
members of the management.
What are focus groups?
Focus groups are directed conversations for gathering ideas, opinions about a product,
service, problem, or opportunity.
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 31 - (Topic 1)
An employee has come forward with an allegation of quid pro quo harassment by her
supervisor. As the HR manager, you are responsible for investigating the complaint. The
supervisor in question is someone with whom you have become quite friendly. In this case,
who is the best person to conduct the investigation?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.In this case, the organization will be best served by a third-party
investigator. The most important consideration in an investigation of sexual harassment is
that the investigator is seen as credible and impartial. Because you have become friendly
with the accused, it will be difficult to maintain impartiality during an investigation. While the
corporate attorney (B) may be selected to conduct investigations, this solution can lead to
conflict-of-interest issues. The direct manager of the accused supervisor (C) may not be
viewed as impartial by the accuser or by regulatory agencies. See Chapters 2 and 8 for
more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Question No : 32 - (Topic 1)
Lucas has asked his manager to take time off from work because of a holiday his religion
celebrates. Fran agrees but tells Lucas that he will be inspecting his project work to ensure
that the work is accurate and not suffering because of the requested time off. This is an
example of what?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 33 - (Topic 1)
You are the HR Professional for your organization. You are discussing the status of your
company's employees to determine who may be considered nonexempt versus exempt.
Which one of the following types of employees can never be considered exempted from
overtime provisions?
A. Manual workers
B. Sales people
C. Managers
D. Administrative assistants
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 34 - (Topic 1)
Stress is often a significant issue in workplaces. Author Ravi Tangri asserts that stress
costs organizations up to $300 billion per year. Which one of the following stresses is the
largest contributor to organizational cost of waste?
A. Workplace accidents
B. Turnover
C. Absenteeism
D. Drug plan costs
Answer: A
Question No : 35 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following functional areas covers activities related to planning for and
managing entry into and exit from the organization to meet changing business needs?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Workforce Planning and Employment covers activities related to
planning for and managing entry into and exit from the organization to meet changing
business needs. This includes practices for evaluating workforce requirements, recruitment
and selection, developing an employer brand, managing records, establishing a succession
plan, and exiting employees from the organization.Answer option B is incorrect. Business
Management and Strategy looks at the "big picture" of the organization and requires an
understanding of overall business operations, basic knowledge of other functional areas in
the organization, and the ability to interact and work effectively with those functions.Answer
option C is incorrect. Human Resource Development utilizes training, development,
change, and performance management programs to ensure that individuals with the
required knowledge, skills, and abilities are available when needed to accomplish
organization goals.Answer option D is incorrect. Employee and Labor Relations address
the practices for building positive employment relationships in both union and nonunion
environments. This includes employee relations programs, workplace policies and
procedures, dispute resolution programs, and collective bargaining activities.
Chapter: Certifying Human Resource Professionals
Objective: Development of the Human Resource Body of Knowledge
Question No : 36 - (Topic 1)
A. An excess-deferral plan
B. A target-benefit plan
C. A money-purchase plan
D. A cash-balance plan
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.An excess-deferral plan makes up the difference between what
an executive could have contributed to a qualified plan if there had not been a limit on
contributions and how much was actually contributed because of the discrimination test
required by ERISA. These plans are nonqualified because they are not protected by
ERISA; they are limited to a small group of executives or highly compensated employees.
A target-benefit plan (B) is a hybrid with elements of defined-benefit and money-purchase
plans. A money-purchase plan (C) defers a fixed percentage of employee earnings. A
cash-balance plan (D) combines elements of defined-benefit and defined-contribution
plans. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
Question No : 37 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following contains legal provisions for giving compensation to surviving
dependents if a work-related injury or illness results in the employee's death?
A. OSHA
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) is a law that
provides rules for compensation benefits to federal employees for work-related injuries or
illnesses. FECA contains legal provision for giving compensation to their surviving
dependents if a work-related injury or illness results in the employee's death. Answer
option A is incorrect. OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress
of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President
Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries,
illnesses, and occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing standards for workplace safety
and health. The agency is headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor. OSHA issues
guidelines and regulations for the safe use of a computer. Answer option B is incorrect. The
Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA) is a law that provides benefits to coal miners who have
been disabled by pneumoconiosis as a result of their work in the mines. Benefits are also
paid to surviving dependents if the miner dies from the disease. Answer option D is
incorrect. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines a list of jobs not suitable for
children between the ages of 16 and 18.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Question No : 38 - (Topic 1)
As a Senior HR Professional, you may have to work with the board of directors on some
organizational issues and goals. How does the board of directors come into existence?
Question No : 39 - (Topic 1)
The Hay System was developed in 1934 by Edward Hay and evaluates job using three
factors. Which of the following factors is NOT one of the three elements of job evaluation of
the Hay System?
A. Knowledge
B. Problem solving
C. Accountability
D. Experience
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 40 - (Topic 1)
A corporate manager regularly participates in discussion boards with a group of peers and
one-on-one emails with a development specialist. He is mostlikely engaged in which of the
following development activities?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Virtual coaching is one method of leadership development.
Used as part of overall coaching activities, it employs multiple sources of electronic media
to reinforce management development. See Chapter 5 for more information. Mentoring (A),
Peer to peer (B) and Leadership coaching (C) all primarily take place in a face-to-face
setting.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
Question No : 41 - (Topic 1)
As an HR Professional, you must be familiar with many laws and the process of how laws
come into existence. One type of law is an administrative law. Which of the following is
NOT an example of an administrative law?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 42 - (Topic 1)
A Composite Solution With Just One Click - Certification Guaranteed 28
HRCI SPHR : Practice Test
One type of risk, HR Professionals must be aware of and combat is job stress. Which of the
following is the best definition of job stress?
A. Stress is the degree of physical, emotional, and mental strain upon a worker from the
demands and constraints of employment.
B. Stress is the lack of exercise, sleep, and good diet combined with work demands that
are beyond the scope of a person's capabilities.
C. Stress is a harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when the requirements
of the job don't match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker.
D. Stress is pressure from requirements in a workplace that are beyond the scope of job
satisfaction.
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 43 - (Topic 1)
A. 10
B. 20
C. 50
D. 100
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
Objective: Benefits
Question No : 44 - (Topic 1)
As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with the Balanced Scorecard. Which
perspective of the Balanced Scorecard describes the criticality of customer focus and
customer satisfaction?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 45 - (Topic 1)
Which performance appraisal approach starts by identifying the most critical responsibilities
and correlates it to a particular type of behavior - where each identified responsibility and
behavior are assessed for performance?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 46 - (Topic 1)
Mike is the HR Professional for his organization and he's documenting the relationship of
contractors and employees in the organization. Mike is focusing on the control aspects as
provided by the Internal Revenue Service. What aspect of the contractor control aspect is
best described as how the business pays the worker?
A. Financial control
B. Behavioral control
C. Type of relationship
D. Contractual relationship
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 47 - (Topic 1)
A Composite Solution With Just One Click - Certification Guaranteed 31
HRCI SPHR : Practice Test
The Department of Labor establishes the rules for unemployment insurance and
associated claims. Who administers the unemployment?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 48 - (Topic 1)
What term is best described as examining the entire organization to simplify or eliminate
unnecessary processes with the goal of increasing customer satisfaction through
improvements in efficiency?
A. Reengineering
B. Corporate restructuring
C. Workforce reduction
D. Mergers and acquisitions
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 49 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following occurs when employees stop working and stay in the building?
A. Strike
B. Lockout
C. Wildcat strike
D. Sit-down strike
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A sit-down strike occurs when employees stop working and stay
in the building. This is considered as an unlawful strike.Answer option A is incorrect. A
strike occurs when the union decides to stop working.Answer option B is incorrect. A
lockout occurs when management shuts down operations to keep the union from
working.Answer option C is incorrect. A wildcat strike occurs in violation of a contract
clause prohibiting strikes during the term of the contract.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Question No : 50 - (Topic 1)
If a dress-code policy prohibits the use of ethnic clothing, but an employee requests an
accommodation based on their religious preference, how should the employer respond?
A. Modify the dress code unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
B. Refuse the accommodation based on business necessity.
C. Allow the employee to dress in ethnic clothing with sufficient advance notice.
D. Only allow the clothing on casual dress days, when other employees are also allowed to
dress outside of policy guidelines.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Question No : 51 - (Topic 1)
When an individual files a charge of discrimination with the EEOC against an employer,
what will the EEOC do?
A. The EEOC will investigate the claim by inspecting the employer's place of business.
B. The EEOC will create a hearing with the complainant and the employer to investigate
the charge.
C. The EEOC will send the employer a letter informing them of the charge.
D. The EEOC will visit the employer to inform them of the charge.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 52 - (Topic 1)
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 53 - (Topic 1)
John is the Senior HR Professional for his organization and he's reviewing his company's
code of conduct. Which of the following statements best describes a code of conduct?
A. A code of conduct is a statement of behaviors that the organization expects from its
employees.
B. A code of conduct is a statement of ideal standards that the organization is committed to
uphold in its business practices.
C. A code of conduct is a statement of ideal standards that the shareholders are expected
to uphold in its business practices.
D. A code of conduct is a statement of behaviors that the employees expect from its
management.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Within the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, there are rules for notifying
employees of mass layoffs and plant closings. There are, however, three exceptions to the
notification time limit. Which one of the following is a valid exception to the notification time
limit for a plant closing?
A. Natural disaster
B. Death of business owner
C. Acquisition of firm by competition
D. Replacement of jobs from one state to another
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 55 - (Topic 1)
Your company is a government contractor with a current project of $250,000. As the Senior
HR Professional you've been asked how the Walsh Healy Public Contracts Act will affect
your organization. What is the Walsh Healy Public Contracts Act?
A. This act requires government contractors with contracts over $100,000 to pay their
employees the prevailing wage for their local areas as established by the Secretary of
Labor.
B. This act requires government contractors in states that have minimum wages set higher
than federal minimum wage act to abide by the state minimum wage requirements.
C. This act requires government contractors in states that have minimum wages set higher
than federal minimum wage act to abide by the state minimum wage requirements unless
the workers do not live in the state where the contracted work is being performed.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 56 - (Topic 1)
What is the most effective method to use when an employer wants to obtain insight into
employee goals and job satisfaction and provide career counseling to those in the work
group?
A. An employee survey
B. A skip-level interview
C. An employee focus group
D. A brown-bag lunch
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A skip-level interview provides an opportunity for a manager's
manager to obtain insight into the goals and satisfaction of employees in the work group.
An employee survey (A) is best used to gather information about various issues that can be
collated and summarized. A focus group (B) can be used to involve employees in the
decision-making process. A brown-bag lunch (D) is an effective way for senior managers to
meet with small groups of employees to answer questions about the company goals and
mission and to obtain feedback about operations. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Question No : 57 - (Topic 1)
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,B,C
Explanation:
Answer options A, B, and C are correct.The benefits of gainsharing programs are as
follows:
✑ Aligns employees to organizational goals
✑ Helps the organization to achieve improvement in key performance measures
✑ Enhances the focus and awareness of employees
What is gainsharing?
Gainsharing is a system of management used by a business to get higher levels of
performance through the involvement and participation of its people. As performance
improves, employees share financially in the gain (improvement). Gainsharing is about
people working smarter together and not just working harder.
Reference: "http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainsharing"
Question No : 58 - (Topic 1)
John earns $45,200 per year as a mechanic in your organization. The $42,500 per year
does not include earnings John may have through shift differentials, benefits, overtime,
incentives, and bonuses. Which one of the following terms best describes the $45,200 per
year that John earns?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Question No : 59 - (Topic 1)
As an HR Professional you must be familiar with the project management processes and
the stakeholders of projects. All projects can map to the project management lifecycle.
Which one of the following best describes the project management lifecycle?
A. It is a unique life of each project -from its initiation through its closing.
B. It is the aggregation of the nine knowledge areas of project management: integration
management, scope, schedule, costs, quality, human resources, communication, risk, and
procurement.
C. It is the life of the management of the project -from initiation, planning, execution,
controlling, through closing.
D. It is the life of a project to interact with all areas including scope, schedule, costs, quality,
human resources, communication, risk, and procurement.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
It's important for an instructor to have clarity of presentation. Which of the following
statements is an example of clarity of presentation?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 61 - (Topic 1)
What type of analysis in an Affirmative Action Plan would create an organizational chart
that includes information about incumbents' race, gender, and wages?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 62 - (Topic 1)
You need to participate in enterprise risk management and complete an HR-audit. Which of
the following is the best definition of an HR-audit in regard to risk management?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 63 - (Topic 1)
As a Senior HR Professional you should be familiar with employment laws and their effect
on your company. What did the lawsuit Payne v. The Western & Atlantic Railroad Company
establish?
A. Employment at will
B. Employers could be liable for sexual harassment of its employees
C. Employers could be liable for the actions of its employees
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 64 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following types of training evolution measures whether the training had a
positive impact on the bottom line?
A. Reaction
B. Learning
C. Behavior
D. Result
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The result measures whether the training had a positive impact
on the bottom line.Answer option A is incorrect. Reaction measures immediate feedback of
the training.Answer option B is incorrect. Learning measures what was learned through
testing.Answer option C is incorrect. Behavior measures job performance of six months or
more after training.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
Question No : 65 - (Topic 1)
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.An HR audit is an organized process designed to identify key
aspects of HR in the organization such as employee morale, HR policies, programs and
procedures, and HR effectiveness. See Chapter 3 for more information.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategic Management
Question No : 66 - (Topic 1)
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 67 - (Topic 1)
Richard, who works at the customer service counter in an auto-supply store, told his
manager that because of chronic back pain, it is difficult for him stand for long periods and
asked for an accommodation. The manager isn't sure, based on the essential job functions,
how an accommodation can be provided. You advise the manager to begin the interactive
process with the employee. What should the manager do to begin this process?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.To assess the reasonableness of a requested accommodation,
employers should ask employees to describe their limitations, how those limitations affect
their performance of essential job functions, and whether they have suggestions for an
accommodation that would allow them to perform the functions. See Chapter 8 for more
information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Question No : 68 - (Topic 1)
What act prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical and mental disabilities?
A. ADEA of 1967
B. Rehabilitation Act of 1973
C. VEVRAA of 1974
D. IRCA of 1986
Answer: B
Question No : 69 - (Topic 1)
Henry is the Senior HR Professional for his organization which manufactures automobile
parts. His organization has plants throughout the US. Management has informed Henry
that a plant in Alabama will be closing. 650 jobs will be eliminated as a result. How many
days is Henry's organization required to give notice before the plant may close?
A. 30 days
B. 60 days
C. 90 days
D. 120 days
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 70 - (Topic 1)
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 71 - (Topic 1)
As a Senior HR Professional, you must be familiar with certain legal terms, laws, and
regulations that affect how you and others operate in the workplace. One term is protected
class. Which of the following statements best describes a protected class?
A. A group of people who share a common characteristic and who are protected from
discrimination and harassment on the basis of that shared characteristic.
B. A group of people who share a common characteristic and who are exempt from
discrimination regulations on the basis of that shared characteristic.
C. A group of people who do not share a common characteristic and who are not protected
from discrimination and harassment on the basis of that shared characteristic.
D. A group of people who share a race and who are protected from discrimination and
harassment on the basis of that race.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 72 - (Topic 1)
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 73 - (Topic 1)
There are many different types of organizations that people create to accomplish business
goals. Which business organization has just one person who is responsible for all decisions
in the business, retains all profits, and has unlimited personal liability for all business
decisions?
A. Partnerships
B. Sole proprietorship
C. Limited liability company
D. Corporation
Objective: Organizations
Question No : 74 - (Topic 1)
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 75 - (Topic 1)
As a HR Professional you must understand the laws and regulations, which affect
employee compensation. Which of the following was the first to address a minimum wage
A. Davis-Bacon Act
B. Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act
C. Fair Labor Standards Act
D. Portal-to-Portal Act
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Question No : 76 - (Topic 1)
Herb is the HR Professional for his organization. He is preparing to hire a new employee,
Hans, to the firm. Herb has asked Hans to agree, in writing, to mandatory arbitration as part
of the employment offer. What does this agreement mean?
A. It means that Hans cannot work for competitors without the written permission of the
employer.
B. It means that Herb's firm can research Hans to determine if he's had any lawsuits.
C. It means that Hans must file all legal complaints with the organization's attorney, before
filing a lawsuit against the organization.
D. It means that Hans and the organization must settle all disputes, if any arise, through a
neutral third party rather than through a lawsuit.
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 77 - (Topic 1)
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 grants employees the right to do all of the
following except which one?
Answer: D
Explanation: Answer option D is correct.Employees have the right to review accident
reports without information that identifies the employees involved in the accident. See
Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Question No : 78 - (Topic 1)
A. Qualitative analysis
B. Quantitative analysis
C. Job evaluation
D. Learning matrix
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Qualitative analysis is a form of research that uses
Question No : 79 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following union security clauses requires that all employees join the union
within a grace period specified by the contract?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The union shop clause requires that all employees join the
union within a grace period specified by the contract.Answer option A is incorrect. The
agency shop clause specifies that all employees must either join the union or pay union
dues if they choose not to join the union.Answer option B is incorrect. The maintenance of
membership clause allows employees to choose whether to join the union, but once they
join, they must remain members until the expiration of the contract.Answer option D is
incorrect. The closed shop clause requires that all new hires be members of the union
before they are hired.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Question No : 80 - (Topic 1)
A. Predictive validity
B. Content validity
C. Professional validity
D. Construct validity
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 81 - (Topic 1)
"If an employee is called by the employer for work and there is no work available, the
employer may be required by state law or employment agreements to pay for a minimum
number of hours of work."
A. Reporting pay
B. Hazard pay
C. Gross pay
D. Base pay
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.If an employee is called by the employer for work and there is
no work available, the employer may be required by state law or employment agreements
to pay for a minimum number of hours of work. This is known as reporting pay.Answer
Question No : 82 - (Topic 1)
What plan captures and projects how human resources will contribute to achieving the
organization's strategic plan?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
Question No : 83 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following is a term used to describe efforts made by a downsizing company to
help former employees through the transition to new jobs and helps them re-orientate to
the job market?
Answer: B
Reference: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outplacement"
Question No : 84 - (Topic 1)
There is a document the federal government has created that you would like to use in your
training class. You'll be teaching how the form is designed, its purpose, and what all parts
of the form provide. The form will be included in your overhead presentation, in the course
manual, and as a handout in the classroom. Is this legal?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 85 - (Topic 1)
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 86 - (Topic 1)
Rex is the Senior HR Professional for his organization and he's working with Jan, an HR
Professional, in an exercise for a project team. The exercise gives the project team
members assignments to do collectively and individually to construct a game. What type of
organizational development activity is this?
A. Team building
B. Total Quality Management
C. Implementation theory
D. Human process intervention
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 87 - (Topic 1)
This nonmathematical forecasting technique brings the participants together to share and
discuss their ideas about the forecast. The ideas are then ranked based on the groups
input. What technique is discussed?
A. Management forecasts
B. Delphi technique
C. Nominal group technique
D. Brainstorming
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 88 - (Topic 1)
A manager always requires a female member of the project team to take the meeting
minutes. This is an example of what type of discrimination?
A. Disparate impact
B. Disparate treatment
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 89 - (Topic 1)
As an HR Professional you must be familiar with several different lawsuits and their affect
on human resource practices today. What legal case found that a test that has an adverse
impact on a protected class is still lawful as long as the test can be shown to be valid and
job related?
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 90 - (Topic 1)
Heather's organization works with a labor union work force. Heather has heard rumors that
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 91 - (Topic 1)
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 92 - (Topic 1)
Holly and Gary are HR Professionals in their organization and they are working to develop
the strategic plan for their organization. Holly and Gary are using SWOT analysis to help
understand the needs of human, financial, technological, capital, and other aspects of their
organization. What is SWOT?
Answer: D
Explanation: Answer option D is correct.SWOT is an analysis that can be used to
determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.SWOT analysis is a
strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of
the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are
favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. A SWOT analysis may be
incorporated into the strategic planning model. It is a part of business policy that helps an
individual or a company to make decisions. It includes the strategies to build the strength of
a company and use the opportunities to make the company successful. It also includes the
strategies to overcome the weaknesses of and threats to the company.Answer option A is
incorrect. This is not a valid definition of SWOT so this choice is incorrect.Answer option B
is incorrect. This is not a valid definition of SWOT so this choice is incorrect.Answer option
C is incorrect. This is not a valid definition of SWOT so this choice is incorrect.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Environmental Scanning Concepts
Question No : 93 - (Topic 1)
A Composite Solution With Just One Click - Certification Guaranteed 59
HRCI SPHR : Practice Test
The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) requires which of the
following?
A. All contractors must list all job openings with state employment agencies.
B. All employers must list all job openings with state employment agencies.
C. State employment agencies must give preference to Vietnam veterans for senior-level
management position referrals.
D. State employment agencies must give preference to Vietnam veterans for positions
lasting 3 days or longer.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.VEVRAA applies to government contractors and requires that all
job openings be listed with state employment agencies except those that will be filled from
within, are for senior-level management positions, or will last less than 3 days. See Chapter
4 for more information.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Question No : 94 - (Topic 1)
Which of the following is the process of systematically determining a relative internal value
of a job in an organization?
A. Recruitment
B. Ranking method
C. Job evaluation
D. Salary range
Answer: C
Reference: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_evaluation"
Question No : 95 - (Topic 1)
Your company would like to hire KJ, who is 17, for a summer job. How late can KJ work
according to the Fair Labor Standards Act during the summer months?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Question No : 96 - (Topic 1)
Gina is a receptionist for her company and she is a non-exempt employee. She works
between the hours of 8AM and 5PM. During the day she is required to be at the front desk
at all times, except for small breaks to use the restroom. Gina is often required by her
company to remain at the desk for her lunch. When Gina has to eat her lunch at the front
desk is she to be compensated for this time or not?
Answer: D
Question No : 97 - (Topic 1)
As an HR Professional you must be familiar with several acts of congress, laws, and
regulations that address risks in the workplace. Which of the following laws was the first to
establish consistent safety standards for workers?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Question No : 98 - (Topic 1)
The human resource professional fulfills three core roles in any organization. These three
roles help propel the company's success. Which of the following statements best describes
the roles of an HR professional?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
Question No : 99 - (Topic 1)
Robert is the HR Professional for his organization and he's speaking with the federation
chairman about the labor and the direction of unions. What is a federation?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Topic 2, Volume B
Project management is a core activity in many organizations today. Which of the following
statements best describes the process groups that comprise the project management
lifecycle?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Your organization uses virtual teams to complete projects. Jen is a project manager in this
environment and she must act accordingly. All of the following are disadvantages of a
virtual team that Jen must overcome except for which one?
A. Face-to-face communications
B. Working from home-based offices
C. Different time zones
D. Different languages
When an employer is charged with a discrimination complaint the EEOC can do one of four
actions against the employer. Which one of the following is not one of the four EEOC
actions?
A. Prosecute it
B. Dismiss it
C. Investigate it
D. Settle it
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Bob is a nonexempt employee for his organization. He has worked a full day and has left
for home. His commute is two hours one-way. When he arrives home he receives a phone
A. 6 hours
B. 4 hours
C. 50 percent of the total travel time
D. Travel time is not paid
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Your organization mainly focuses on the production of bicycles for selling it around the
world. In addition to this, the organization also produces scooters. The management wants
to restrict its line of production to bicycles. Therefore, it decides to sell the scooter
production department to another competitor. Which of the following terms best describes
the sale of the scooter production department to your competitor?
A. Rightsizing
B. Divestiture
C. Outsourcing
D. Corporate restructure
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
OSHA may inspect a workplace at any time. The purpose of these inspections is to
maintain safety for all workers. OSHA has established five priorities for workplace
inspections. Which one of the following statements is the correct order of most important
OSHA priorities to least important OSHA priorities?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Project management is a core activity in many organizations today. Which of the following
statements best describes the process groups that comprise the project management
lifecycle?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Team learning
B. Pay-for-performance system that clearly links employee behavior to rewards
C. Data-sharing from the top down
D. Decision-making from the bottom up
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.High-involvement organizations are those in which employees
are encouraged to remain active, accountable members of the company. Allowing
employees to come up with creative solutions to problems, clearly linking rewards to
behavior (B) encouraging decision-making from the ground up (D) and demonstrating
management trust through data sharing (C) are other characteristics of HIOs. See
Chapters 3 and 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Check the different types of workers that correspond to their worker categories.
Answer:
Which of the following ensures that employees in different locations are paid at rates
competitive in the labor market for specific jobs and locations?
A. Geographic pay
B. Reporting pay
C. Gross pay
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Geographic pay ensures that employees in different locations
are paid at rates competitive in the labor market for specific jobs and locations.Answer
option D is incorrect. If employees are called to work before or after their scheduled hours,
they will get paid extra for that. This is known as call-back pay.Answer option C is incorrect.
Gross pay is the amount earned by an employee before taxes are not paid.Answer option
B is incorrect. If an employee is called by the employer for work and there is no work
available, the employer may be required by state law or employment agreements to pay for
a minimum number of hours of work. This is known as reporting pay.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Answer: nominal
The nominal group technique is a structured meeting format designed to elicit participation
from all members of the group in order to arrive at the best possible solution to the problem
at hand. The process requires a facilitator and begins with a period of time for individuals to
think about and write down all their ideas about the issue. After that, each participant
presents one idea, which is recorded by the facilitator for later discussion. When all the
ideas have been presented, the process of prioritizing and consensus building takes place
until a resolution has been agreed on.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
All business organizations must use some common terminology to describe the roles and
responsibilities of people and entities within the organization. What term is described as the
amount of product or service the entity is able to produce with the available materials,
labor, and equipment?
A. Production
B. Capacity
C. Lines of business
D. Technology
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
A. Histogram chart
B. Control chart
C. Pareto chart
D. Fishbone diagram
Answer: C
Explanation: Answer option C is correct.A Pareto chart is a special histogram in that it
shows categories of failures from the largest failure to the smallest failure. The idea is that
the project team or organizational development team will attack the largest problems first.
Pareto chart
A Pareto chart is a special type of bar chart where the values being plotted are arranged in
f124280
Example of a Pareto chart
It is a type of chart that consists both bars and a line graph, where individual values are
represented in descending order by bars, and the cumulative total is shown by the line.
Answer option A is incorrect. A histogram is simply a bar chart and isn't ordered from
largest to smallest.Answer option D is incorrect. A fishbone diagram is also known as an
Ishikawa diagram or a cause and effect chart.
Ishikawa diagram
The Ishikawa diagram (or fishbone diagram or also cause-and-effect diagram) is a diagram
that shows the causes of a certain event. A common use of the Ishikawa diagram is to
identify potential factors causing an overall effect. It helps identify causal factors and root
causes.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.There are three types of statistical HR measurements:
employee measures, such as turnover/retention (C) and job satisfaction (B); productivity
measures, such as revenue per employee and OSHA incident rates; and HR activities
measures, such as cost per hire (D) and ratio of total employees to HR staff. See Chapter 3
for more information.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
You work for a manufacturing facility that deals with many different types of chemicals.
Some of the chemicals in the workplace can be dangerous and require special training to
transport or utilize the chemicals. You notice that some of the chemicals, that aren't
necessarily dangerous, do not have a material safety data sheet affixed. Does the lack of
material safety data sheet represents a risk-related problem?
A. No - if there is a large material safety data sheet for all chemicals above the area where
the chemicals are stored.
B. Yes - your company must create and affix a material safety data sheet for all chemicals.
C. No - only dangerous materials must have the material safety data sheet.
D. Yes - the manufacturer of the chemicals is required to affix a material safety data sheet
to the chemicals.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
The ability of an employee to use multiple skill sets on the job represents which of the
following job-enrichment activities?
A. Job rotation
B. Skill variety
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Skill variety is one of many job-enrichment activities introduced
by J.R. Hackman. Enriching the work of employees can lead to greater job satisfaction and
retention. Task variety (D), task identity (C) and job rotation (A) are other job enrichment
activities that allow employees to vary their job tasks, identify the whole of the work
produced, and be cross-trained in multiple functions. See Chapter 5 for more information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
An organization has over 5,000 employees who are members of a union. The employees,
however, are no longer happy with the union's performance and they would like to decertify
the union from their representation. Who will decertify the union in this instance?
A. The union official if fifty percent of the employees sign off on the decertification
B. The National Labor Relations Board
C. Management of the employees
D. The employees
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Transference
B. Mitigation
C. Sharing
D. Acceptance
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Acceptance is a risk response that accepts the event with the
understanding that if the event happens, the organization will deal with the ramifications
and impact at the time of the event. Out-of-pocket payments are an example of
acceptance.
Acceptance response
Acceptance response is a part of the Risk Response planning process. Acceptance
response delineates that the project plan will not be changed to deal with the risk.
Management may develop a contingency plan if the risk does occur. Acceptance response
to a risk event is a strategy that can be used for risks that pose either threats or
opportunities. Acceptance response can be of two types:
✑ Passive acceptance: It is a strategy in which no plans are made to avoid or
mitigate the risk.
✑ Active acceptance: Such responses include developing contingency reserves to
deal with risks in case they occur.
Acceptance is the only response for both threats and opportunities.
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Constructive discharge
B. Respondeat superior
C. Express contract
D. Promissory estoppel
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Strategic
B. Techno-structural
C. Human resource management
D. Human process
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Techno-structural interventions address issues of how work gets
done in an organization. A high-involvement organization is one in which employees at all
levels are involved in making decisions about how work is accomplished. Human-process
interventions (D) are designed to build competencies at the individual level of the
organization. HRM interventions (C) focus on HR processes and programs such as
The FLSA requires employers to pay nonexempt employees for time spent where?
A. Commuting to work
B. At home while waiting to be called to work
C. At work reading a book while waiting for an assignment
D. Attending a voluntary training program
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A nonexempt employee who is waiting for an assignment while
at work must be paid for the time spent waiting. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
You have been hired as a consultant for the HJN Company to help them in their strategic
planning. They have asked you to help them create goals for the company. You
recommend that the meeting participants use the SMART approach to goal setting. What is
SMART?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
John has made unwanted sexual advances to a female employee that he manages. The
female employee has rejected the advances. John then gives a very negative review of the
female's work even though she has worked well, met her objectives, and received positive
reviews in the past. This is likely a case of what?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
What law requires organizations to pay their non-exempt employees one and one half
times the regularly hour wage for work that exceeds 40 hours in one week?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
According to Knowles, there are five key assumptions about how adults learn. One of the
assumptions is the learner's readiness to learn. Which of the following statements is best
associated with the assumption of the learner's readiness to learn?
Placement goals are part of Affirmative Action Plans. A placement goal should be met with
good faith efforts, not through which one of the following?
A. Discrimination
B. Outsourcing
C. Quotas
D. Advertisements
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Your company is going through a corporate restructuring process. Which of the following
best describes corporate restructuring?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
During the organization of a union, it's possible that the union will gain recognition from the
management. The management is then obliged to give the NLRB a list of employees who
are eligible to vote in the unionization election. What is the name of the list of such
employees called?
A. Candidate List
B. Constituent List
C. Union prospectus List
D. Excelsior List
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
When designing new seminars and learning programs with ADDIE, you should often use
SMART for learning objectives. What does SMART mean?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Directs the project team and staff to accomplish the project scope
B. Establishes groundwork for the managers to achieve the goals of the organization
C. Communicates the direction of the organization
D. Establishes groundwork for the managers to achieve their goals
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
A. HR audit
B. Recruitment
C. Straight-line operation
D. Green circle
Answer: B
Reference:"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recruitment"
A statement of cash flows is a financial report that tells you which of the following?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A statement of cash flows provides information about the money
that flowed through the business. It identifies whether the cash was received from
customers, loans, or other sources; how much cash was spent to operate the business;
and how much was reinvested in the business. A balance sheet describes the financial
condition of the business at a specific point in time (B). The income statement, or profit and
loss statement, tells you the financial results of operations over a period of time (D). An
accounts-receivable ledger describes how much money is owed to the company by each
customer (C). See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
You are a HR Professional for your organization and you're preparing your team for a
series of interviews. You want the team to be familiar with the validity types you'll use and
encourage in the series of interviews. One of the requirements in the interview process for
a graphic designer is, for the graphic designer to use a software program and to create a
simple brochure. This is an example of what type of validity?
A. Construct-related validity
B. Criterion-related validity
C. Content validity
D. Predictive validity
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules
governing unions and management in the bargaining process. There are three primary
types of bargaining that management and unions participate in. Which of the following
bargaining types is considered to be the most combative?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) determines which
jobs will be included in the bargaining unit based on the “community of interest” shared by
the requirements of the jobs. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
You are the Senior HR Professional for your organization. You've just written the following
statement in your company's code of conduct: the use of business resources for personal
A. Ethical/value statement
B. Honesty statement
C. Conduct statement
D. Gift statement
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
You are the HR Professional for your company in a manufacturing facility that operates in a
24-7 format. What work shift in this type of operation is considered the swing shift?
A. 4PM to 12AM
B. All weekend shifts of 12 hours or longer
C. 8AM to 4PM
D. 12AM to 8AM
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Robert is the HR Professional for his organization. June, Robert's supervisor, assigns
Robert for completing and filing the EEO-1 Report for the organization. What is the EEO-1
Report?
A. It is a report that all employers with at least 100 employees must submit to the
Department of Labor. It defines the total number of employees by job category, ethnicity,
race, and gender the organization employs.
B. It is a report that all employers with at least 100 employees must submit to the
Department of Labor. It defines the total number of employees the organization employs.
C. It is a report that all employers must submit to the Department of Labor defining the race
and income of all employees in the organization.
D. It is a report that all employers must submit to the Department of Labor defining the
race, social security identification number, and income of all employees in the organization.
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following are narrative methods of appraisal that require managers to describe
the employee's performance?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,C,D
Explanation:
Answer options A, D, and C are correct.The narrative methods of appraisal that require
managers to describe the employee's performance are as follows:
✑ Critical incident review
✑ Field review
✑ Essay review
Reference: http://www.mbanotesworld.in/2009/01/methods-of-performance-appraisal.html
OSHA has identified six standards that apply to almost all general industry employers. All
of the following are standards as defined by OSHA that apply to employers except for
which one?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Certain organizations are required by OSHA to complete and file the OSHA Form 300 to
report a log of work-related injuries and illnesses. How many employees must an
organization have to be required to complete the OSHA Form 300?
A. 33
B. 44
C. 11
D. 22
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following is used to determine current market trends and competition for
different skills and knowledge and to assist the employer in setting pay levels?
A. Base pay
B. Gross pay
C. Salary survey
D. Job evaluation
Answer: C
On November 13, 2000 CFR Part 60-2 was revised to address affirmative action to make
the rules more accessible and easier to implement. Which of the following statements is not
part of this significant update to the Affirmative Action program in CFR Part 60-2?
A. Reduced the number of additional required elements of the written Affirmative Action
Plan from 10 to 4
B. Reaffirmed that affirmative action isn't to establish quotes, but to create goals
C. Workforce analysis was replaced with a one-page organizational profile
D. Granted employers with fewer than 100 employees, permission to prepare a job group
analysis that uses EEO-1 categories as job groups
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Career concerns
B. Task design
C. Management style
D. Work roles
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Holly is a senior worker in her organization and she is a member of the union. Her position
will be eliminated in sixty days and she will be released from the company. Rather than
being unemployed, Holly asks the union to move her to a less senior position and release a
junior employee. If the union agrees to this, what will this term be known as?
A. Displacement
B. Releasing
C. Bumping
D. Re-organization
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge. .
Gary is an HR Professional for his organization that has several federal contracts of
$100,000 or more. His organization, as required by VEVRAA, files what form by September
30 each year, which provides the details of the veterans employed by the federal
contractor?
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with copyright laws when it comes to
organizational development and the usage of materials. There are six categories of
protected rights for creators protected by the copyright law. Which of the following is not
one of the six categories?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The six categories of protection of the work do not include the
right to renew the copyright of the work. Copyrights last for the lifetime of the author plus 70
years. The six areas protected by copyright law are as follows:
✑ Right to duplicate the work
✑ Right to create derivative works
✑ Right to sell copies of the work
✑ Right to perform the work publicly
✑ Right to display the work publicly
✑ Right to digital performance in sound recordings
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which EEO Report must an employer file by September 30 of each year if the employer
has 100 or more employees to identify a count of employees by job category, ethnicity,
race, and gender?
A. EEO-3 Report
B. EEO-1 Report
C. EEO-5 Report
D. EEO-4 Report
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
A manager makes a sexual advancement to an employee who rejects the advance. Later,
the manager does not allow the employee to be promoted because of the rejection of the
sexual advancement. This is an example of what type of sexual harassment?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
An organization has over 5,000 employees who are members of a union. The employees,
however, are no longer happy with the union's performance and they would like to decertify
the union from their representation. Who will decertify the union in this instance?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following requires employers to pay social security tax for employees and to
withhold the tax amount from employee paychecks?
Answer: B
Reference: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act_tax"
Objective: Benefits
Yolanda is an HR Professional for her organization that has 250 employees. Yolanda is
working with Thomas, a manager in the company. Thomas reports that Carrie, one of his
staff members, will be leaving the organization for a leave absence due to a pregnancy
A. Yolanda should tell Thomas that Carrie's employment can be terminated as the
organization does not meet the Pregnancy Discrimination Act with 500 minimum
employees.
B. Yolanda should tell Thomas that Carrie must return to work within 28 days or the
organization can assume that Carrie has resigned.
C. Yolanda should tell Thomas that Carrie must be treated the same way as any other
temporarily disabled employee.
D. Yolanda should tell Thomas that Carrie's employment can be terminated as pregnancy
issues are not allowable time away from the organization
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
As a HR Professional you must understand the laws and regulations, which affect
employee compensation. Which of the following was the first to address sanitary working
conditions?
A. Portal-to-Portal Act
B. Davis-Bacon Act
C. Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act
D. Fair Labor Standards Act
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Objective: Compensation
If a union wants to organize, it typically moves through five steps to the organizing process.
Which step of union organization would require the union to collect at least 30 percent of
signed authorization cards from employees?
A. Obtain recognition
B. The campaign
C. Make a connection
D. Confirm interest
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
The management and union are proceeding to an arbitration hearing that will be conducted
by an arbitration panel. Which one of the following best describes the makeup of the
arbitration panel?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
As a Senior HR Professional, you must be familiar with certain legal terms, laws, and
regulations that affect how you and others operate in the workplace. Basically, there are
three types of discrimination that can happen in the workforce. Which of the following is
NOT one of the three discrimination types?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
The concept that recognizes that businesses are social organizations as well as economic
systems and that productivity is related to employee job satisfaction is known as what?
A. Human relations
B. Strategic management
C. Human resource management
D. Human resource development
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The concept of human relations was first introduced in the
1920s and challenged previous assumptions that people work only for economic reasons
and could be motivated to increase productivity simply by increasing monetary incentives.
Human resource management (C) is the business function responsible for activities related
to attracting and retaining employees, including workforce planning, training and
development, compensation, employee and labor relations, and safety and security.
Strategic management (B) is the process by which organizations look for competitive
advantages, create value for customers, and execute plans to achieve goals. Human
resource development (D) is the functional area of human resources focused on upgrading
and maintaining employee skills and developing employees for additional responsibilities.
See Chapters 2 and 5 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Human Relations Concepts
Frank is a manager in his organization and he wants his team to take charge of actions,
duties, and work to be completed. Frank would like to delegate more duties to this team to
show that he trusts them in their work. If Frank does this what must he also do for the
team?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with non-monetary rewards that your
company provides for its employees. Which of the following is an example of non-monetary
reward?
Answer: C
Reference: "http://www.catalogs.com/info/b2b/non-monetary-rewards-in-the-
workplace.html"
A. There are fewer than 45 days left before the current collective-bargaining agreement
expires.
B. The union wants to attract employees so they will authorize the union to represent them.
C. The union members are unhappy with their current union and ask a new union to
represent them.
D. The union files a representation petition with the NLRB no later than 15 days after
picketing starts.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Organizational pickets may take place when no other union is
currently representing employees at a company. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
What type of dispute resolution believes that conflict is good and is used to resolve long-
standing, deep-rooted conflicts within an organization?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
An organization is meeting with its key executives including Janice, an SPHR. In this
meeting the organization is looking for direction on the company's strategy. Janice defines
five stages of strategic planning for an organization. Which of the following is the correct
order of strategic planning for most organizations?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The correct order of strategic planning for most organizations is
as follows:
✑ Pre-planning stage
✑ Environmental scan
✑ Formulate strategy
✑ Implement strategy
✑ Evaluate strategy and make adjustments
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
A. Cognizant barriers
B. Societal barrier
C. Internal structure barriers
D. Governmental barriers
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
As an HR Professional you must be familiar with several laws and pieces of legislation that
affects your practices. What act makes it illegal to discriminate against older workers with
respect to benefits or to target older workers for layoffs?
A. HIPAA
B. OASDI
C. MHPA
D. OWBPA
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Open-door policy
B. Management by walking around
C. Brown-bag lunches
D. Department staff meetings
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
What two elements does the formula in a defined benefit plan examine to determine the
pension an employer may provide the employee?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of
wages or benefits, to men and women who perform substantially equal work for the same
employer, in the same establishment, and under similar working conditions. The law
defined substantial equality of job content on four factors. Which one of the following is not
one of the four factors this law defines?
A. Skill
B. Working conditions
C. Education
D. Effort
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Behavior
B. Reaction
C. Confirmation
D. Learning
Answer: C
Explanation: Answer option C is correct.Confirmation is not one of the four levels of
evaluation in Kirkpatrick's Theory of Evaluation. The four levels are reaction, learning,
behavior, and results.Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation model are as follows:
✑ Reaction of student: This level of evolution measures the initial reaction of the
participants.
✑ Learning: The learning evaluation method uses a test to measure whether the
students have learned the presented information.
✑ Behavior: This level of evaluation uses a test to measure how well participants
have learned the information presented in the training.
✑ Results: This level of evolution provides the feedback to the business whether the
training have an impact on the business results or not.
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following are established by Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,C,D
Explanation:
Answer options D, C, and A are correct.The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938
established the following:
✑ Minimum wage requirement
✑ Laws for protecting American children against labor exploitation
✑ Criteria for exempt and nonexempt employees
Reference: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Labor_Standards_Act"
Objective: Compensation
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A simple linear regression measures one variable against
another. Multiple linear regression (A) measures more than one variable against others. A
ratio (D) compares one number to another. A simulation model uses a computer program
(C) to predict the possible outcomes of different business scenarios. See Chapters 2 and 4
for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Which of the following exceptions to the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act describes a type of
employment where employees are paid based on the volume of their production?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A piece rate system describes a job where compensation is
according to their production volume.Answer option D is incorrect. Seniority systems or
merit systems are designed to not reward or discriminate unlawfully.Answer option A is
incorrect. Professionally developed test of abilities determine skills that may have an
unintended discriminatory impact upon people on the basis of gender, religion, or national
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Which of the following occurs when management shuts down operations to keep the union
from working?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A lockout occurs when management shuts down operations to
keep the union from working.Answer option B is incorrect. Involuntary exits is process that
occurs due to mergers, outsourcing or changing business needs. It also occurs due to
terminations for cause, such as performance problems, etc. Answer option D is incorrect.
Boycotts occur when the union and the employees work together against an employer to
express their dissatisfaction with the employer's actions, or to try to force the employer into
accepting their demands.Answer option A is incorrect. A union tries to force an employer
who is not involved in a dispute to stop doing business with another employer that is part of
a dispute with the union. This practice is known as secondary boycott.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The closed shop clause is illegal except in the construction
industry. The closed shop clause requires that all new hires be members of the union
before they are hired.Answer option D is incorrect. The agency shop clause specifies that
all employees must either join the union or pay union dues if they choose not to join the
union.Answer option B is incorrect. The union shop clause requires that all employees join
the union within a grace period specified by the contract.Answer option A is incorrect.
There is no such term as common shop clause.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Your organization is aiming to reduce costs by stopping wastes in the production cycle. The
company has created a plan that will reward employees 50 percent of the savings from the
waste stoppage. What type of compensation plan is your organization offering to
employees in this instance?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
What does the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act do?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.HIPAA prohibits health insurance providers from discriminating
on the basis of health status and limits restrictions for preexisting conditions. HIPAA does
not prevent HR from investigating claims issues (D) as long as the employee provides
written permission. COBRA requires continuation of health benefits (A). EPO networks (B)
are established by physicians connected to a hospital. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
30 days
60 days
120 days
240 days
Answer: A
Answer option A is correct.
For leave greater than 30 days and less than 240 days, the employer must offer COBRA-
like health coverage at the request of the employee.
Answer option B is incorrect. The COBRA-like health coverage begins on day 30, not 60.
Answer option C is incorrect. The COBRA-like health coverage begins on day 30, not 120.
Answer option D is incorrect. The COBRA-like health coverage begins on day 30, not 240.
240 days is actually the maximum days the employee is eligible for coverage.
Ken is an employee in your organization. When it comes to training and learning new skills,
Ken says that he learns best by listening to lectures, audio recordings, and podcasts. What
type of a learner is Ken?
A. Tactile learner
B. Audible learner
C. Auditory learner
D. Visual learner
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Sally is a new employee in your company and she's speaking with you about the direct and
indirect compensation for her employment. You want to give Sally an example of an
indirect compensation reward. Which of the following is an example of an indirect
compensation?
A. Bonuses
B. Vacation
C. Wages
D. Salaries
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following types of learners can retain information in a better way when they
are able to have a hands-on experience during training?
A. Data learners
B. Auditory learners
C. Visual learners
D. Kinesthetic learners
Answer: D
Reference: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesthetic_learning"
Fran is the HR Professional for her organization and she's working with a new recruit in the
A. The role of HR is evolving into one that provides legal and operational services for the
entire organization.
B. The role of HR is evolving into one that provides administrative and operational services
for the entire organization.
C. The role of HR is evolving into one that provides strategic, administrative, and
operational services for the entire organization.
D. The role of HR is evolving into one that provides cultural awareness, administrative, and
functional services for the entire organization.
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
A. Employees
B. Management
C. Stakeholder
D. Customer
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 prohibits employers from discriminating against
employees on the basis of pregnancy, child birth, or other related medical conditions. This
law affects organizations having what minimum number of employees?
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A______________ approach fills corporate positions in the home country with expatriates,
whereas management positions in the host country are filled by HCNs.
What term describes a manager who makes himself visible, being present for employees,
and getting out of his office to interact with employees?
A. Active management
B. Progressive discipline
C. Open door policy
D. Management by walking around
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. IRCA
B. FECA
C. FLSA
D. OSHA
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The IRCA, or Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986,
prohibits employers from hiring undocumented workers (sometimes called illegal aliens). It
is an Act of Congress which reformed United States immigration law. Answer option D is
incorrect. OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is an
agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United
States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M.
Safety in the workplace is directly linked to security of the workplace. When completing a
risk assessment of the workplace and its security, there are four general categories of
organizational assets that are measured for impact of identified risks. Which of the
following is not one of the four asset categories that are analyzed for impact in the
workplace security?
Physical
Financial
Media
Human
Answer: C
Answer option C is correct.
Media is not one of the four categories of workplace safety that is assessed. The four
categories are financial, physical, human, and information.
Answer options B, A, and D are incorrect. Financial, physical, and human are among the
four assessed categories of risk.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Helps employers identify the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace
B. Acts as a one-time service
C. Does not require compliance with OSHA standards
D. Fines employers for violating OSHA safety standards
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.OSHA consultants provide free services to assist employers in
identifying workplace hazards and the standards that apply in their workplaces. The
consulting service requires employers to abate any hazards that are identified during the
consultation but does not fine them for violations. To receive a free consultation, employers
must agree to advise OSHA of changes in operating processes that may require additional
consultations. See Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Health and wellness programs are beneficial for employers because they do what?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Employers look for benefit programs that add value to the
bottom line. Health and wellness programs do this by increasing productivity and reducing
costs. These programs are attractive to job candidates and enhance recruiting efforts. See
Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Topic 3, Volume C
Robert is the HR Professional for a construction company. He's working with several site
managers to communicate the requirements of OSHA reporting. Robert wants to convey
the requirements of OSHA's reporting for work-related injuries. Which one of the following
is the OSHA definition of a work-related injury?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
The motivation theory that suggests people are motivated by the reward they will receive
when they succeed and that they weigh the value of the expected reward against the effort
required to achieve it is known as what?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Vroom explains his theory with three terms: expectancy (the
individual's assessment of their ability to achieve the goal), instrumentality (whether the
individual believes they are capable of achieving the goal), and valence (whether the
anticipated goal is worth the effort required to achieve it). Adams' equity theory (B) states
that people are constantly comparing what they put into work to what they get from it.
McClelland's acquired needs theory (C) states that people are motivated by one of three
factors: achievement, affiliation, or power. McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y (D) explain
how managers relate to employees. Theory X managers are autocratic, believing that
A US company has offices throughout the US and in Europe. What accounting rules are
the company required to use?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
You are a HR Professional for your organization. You have presented an idea to your staff.
The staff members then discuss their ideas based on your presentation. All of the ideas are
recorded and collectively ranked from most important to least important (or some other
ordinal scale). Through this process a selection or forecast can be made for the
organization. What forecasting technique have you used in this scenario?
A. Ratio analysis
B. Delphi Technique
C. Nominal group technique
D. Brainstorming
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. People rely more on the words of the conversation to discern what is meant.
B. People rely more on para-lingual aspects of the conversation to discern what is meant.
C. People rely more on nonverbal clues and relationships to discern what is meant.
D. People rely on the hierarchy of conversation to discern what is meant.
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
What term is used to describe the values, worth, work ethics, attitude, and collective sense
of an identity in an organization?
A. Organizational persona
B. Organizational culture
C. Organizational branding
D. Organizational politics
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Which of the following are non-monetary rewards that a company can provide to its
employees?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
A. Recognition
B. Cash compensation
C. Flexible hours
D. Opportunity to learn
Answer: A,C,D
Explanation:
Answer options D, C, and A are correct.The following are the non-monetary rewards that a
company can provide to its employees:
✑ Opportunity to learn
✑ Flexible hours
✑ Recognition
Reference: "http://www.catalogs.com/info/b2b/non-monetary-rewards-in-the-
workplace.html"
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
You are the HR Professional for your organization and you're reviewing the performance
appraisal systems your company can use. Which performance appraisal approach uses a
paired comparison method in the review?
A. Comparative method
B. Narrative method
C. Results-based
D. Rating method
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Harry is the Senior HR Professional for his organization and he's working with Bill on the
total rewards package he can offer. Bill is confused about monetary rewards and
nonmonetary rewards. Which of the following is an example of a nonmonetary reward for
compensation?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
John is the Senior HR Professional for his organization. He is working with Nancy to
establish an Internal Audit and Reporting System as part of their Affirmative Action Plan.
Nancy wants to know why they need this Internal Audit and Reporting System. Which of
the following is the best answer for Nancy?
A. The system is used to periodically measure the effectiveness of the affirmative action
program.
B. The system is used to periodically measure the utilization of women and minorities in the
organization.
C. The system is used to periodically measure the effectiveness of the human resource
leadership.
D. The system is used to periodically measure the effectiveness of labor analysis.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Henry is the HR Professional for his organization and he's discussing the status of Amy's
employment. Amy earns $87,500 per year and receives a paycheck via direct deposit every
two weeks. Amy was hired under the offer of a salary position, but she feels that she is
working far more than the agreed 40 hours per week. Based on these scenarios, do you
believe Amy is exempt or non-exempt?
A. Amy is not exempt because she is working more than ten percent of her total agreed
hours per week.
B. Amy is not exempt because she is offered bonuses as part of her pay.
C. Amy is exempt because she is paid on a salary basis.
D. Amy is exempt because she earns more than $1,000 per week.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following is required by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation
Act of 2001?
A. Requires pension plans to account for employee contributions separately from employer
contributions
B. Requires employer pension contributions to be funded on a quarterly basis
C. Allows employees older than 50 to make catch-up contributions to retirement accounts
D. Allows employers to contribute a percentage of company earnings to retirement plans
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.EGTRRA made changes to pension contribution limits and
allows employees older than 50 to make catch-up pension contributions. See Chapter 6 for
more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
Total quality management focuses all employees on producing products that meet
customer needs. This is achieved by doing what?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The TQM concept reviews processes to eliminate waste, relies
on teamwork, and involves all members of the organization in meeting customer needs.
Personal mastery, a high level of employee expertise (A), is one of the five disciplines of a
learning organization. Information sharing is one characteristic of a high-involvement
organization (D). The ability to balance stakeholder needs is a requirement of a change
agent (C). See Chapter 5 for more information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Organization Development
Jan is the HR Professional for your organization. An employee within the organization has
filed a charge with the EEOC that discrimination has been done by your organization
against her. The EEOC has investigated the case and has found that there is no
reasonable cause against your company. The person filing the charge, however, still
believes that discrimination has occurred. How long does this person have, to file a lawsuit
against your company?
Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant cannot file a
lawsuit to sue.
A. Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant cannot
file a lawsuit to sue.
B. Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant can still
file a lawsuit within 180 days of the EEOC's findings.
C. Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant can still
file a lawsuit within 90 days of the EEOC's findings.
D. Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant can still
file a lawsuit within 30 days of the EEOC's findings.within 30 days of the EEOC's findings.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Organizations must assess the safety of their workplaces and consider the ability of a
business to continue despite risk impact. When assessing business continuity risks, the HR
Professional must consider several different types of disasters, their probability, and impact
on an organization. What category of disaster is best described as acts of terrorism, major
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
As an HR Professional, you need to be familiar with learning concepts. One such concept
is orientation to learning. Which of the following statements best describes orientation to
learning?
A. What I learn today needs to be able to help me solve problems in the workplace
tomorrow.
B. I am an adult, I can direct myself.
C. Learning is hard work and time-exhaustive.
D. I am a worker and what I learn must work in the real world.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Shelly is a graphic designer in your company and she has been called to military duty.
While she is on duty you learn that Shelly has been moonlighting graphic design for other
companies. Because she has been moonlighting while on military leave from your
employment, are you required to reinstate her upon her pending return from military duty?
A. Yes, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 allows
military personnel to moonlight during off-duty hours.
B. No, moonlighting constitutes other employment so the original employer is not obligated
to reinstate her.
C. No, moonlighting is a breach of the Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, as military personnel are to be on employment leave
and not generate an income other than what their military duty provides. The employer is
therefore exempt from the reinstatement obligations.
D. Yes, moonlighting is another form of employment, but you are required to reinstate her if
her income from moonlighting is less than what she would have earned without the military
duty.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. EEO-4 Report
B. EEO-5 report
C. EEO-1 Report
D. EEO-3 Report
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Your organization has been contacted by Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) to
create the OSHA 300 log and annual summary. Once you complete this log and annual
summary and submit it to OSHA, how long must your company retain the log?
A. Ten years
B. Seven years
C. Five years
D. One year
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Sharing
B. Transference
C. Mitigation
D. Avoidance
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
John is the HR Professional for his organization. He is interviewing Sally for a sales
position, and he has asked Sally to provide an instance of how she worked with a tough
customer in the past, how she resolved the situation, and what the outcome of the
experience was. This is what type of interviewing technique?
A. Prescreen interview
B. Stress interview
C. Behavior-based interview
D. Directive interview
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.This is a classical example of the behavior-based interview.
Sally will need to tell a story to John about her past experiences with a difficult customer
and what the outcome of the situation was.Answer option B is incorrect. A stress interview
deliberately creates a stressful environment to test the candidate's response in the
stress.Answer option A is incorrect. A prescreen interview is used to determine which
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The significance of various security issues depends partly on
the size of the organization. However, regardless of size, the same considerations go into
assessing vulnerabilities and the method for estimating the cost of potential losses. The
justification of such a program requires that the potential losses will exceed the cost of the
program. See Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
A. Termination evidence
B. Freedom of speech
C. Libel
D. Slander
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
You are a HR Professional for your organization. You have presented an idea to your staff.
The staff members then discuss their ideas based on your presentation. All of the ideas are
recorded and collectively ranked from most important to least important (or some other
ordinal scale). Through this process a selection or forecast can be made for the
organization. What forecasting technique have you used in this scenario?
A. Ratio analysis
B. Delphi Technique
C. Nominal group technique
D. Brainstorming
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Jennifer wants to form a corporation that will develop software. As she studies the pros and
cons of a corporation entity, she learns that there are four distinct characteristics of a
corporation. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a corporation?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A seamless organization replaces traditional hierarchies with
networks designed to enhance communication and creativity. These networks are made
possible by advanced technology that allows employees to connect from anywhere in the
world. See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Organizational Structures
A. Strategic
B. Administrative
C. Organizational
D. Operational
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
Which of the following plans has similarities to both a defined benefit plan and a money
purchase plan?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The target benefit plan has similarities to both a defined benefit
plan and a money purchase plan. It is a cross between a money purchase pension plan
and a defined benefit plan.Answer option B is incorrect. A succession plan identifies critical
positions in an organization and how they will be filled if current incumbents leave.Answer
option D is incorrect. The Scanlon Plan is a cost saving productivity-incentive plan. It was
created in the 1930s by Joseph Scanlon. In this plan, employees are rewarded for
productivity and cost savings to promote performance of the organization. Answer option A
is incorrect. A profit sharing plan is an employee motivation plan. This plan is established
and maintained by an employer. In this plan, employees receive a share of the firm's profits
determined by an agreed upon formula.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
As an HR Professional, you must be familiar with the collective bargaining agreements and
the process that rights are given, contracts, and union and management cooperation.
Consider an arbitration process between the management and the union. What term is
assigned to the resolution of the disagreement, by an arbitrator's interpretation of the
language of the contract?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Which of the following is a form of principled bargaining in which the parties look at all the
issues and are able to make mutually agreeable trade-offs between those issues?
A. Interest-based bargaining
B. Integrative bargaining
C. Parallel bargaining
D. Single-unit bargaining
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Integrative bargaining is a form of principled bargaining in which
the parties look at all the issues and are able to make mutually agreeable trade-offs
between those issues.Answer option A is incorrect. Interest-based bargaining (IBB) is
based on the concept that both sides in the negotiation have harmonious interests.Answer
option D is incorrect. Single-unit bargaining occurs when one union meets with one
employer to bargain.Answer option C is incorrect. Parallel bargaining occurs when the
union negotiates with one employer at a time. Once a contract has been reached with one
employer, the union uses the gains made during the negotiation as a base for negotiating
with the next employer.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
There are four negative risk responses an organization can elect to use. Your organization
is completing a project where some electrical work is deemed too dangerous to be
completed internally. You advise that the project manager hire a licensed electrician to
complete the dangerous assignment. What type of risk response have you advised in this
scenario?
A. Avoidance
B. Transference
C. Mitigation
D. Acceptance
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following scenarios is the best example of a kinesthetic learning experience?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
An organization would like to hire a 15-year old for some duties in their business. Which
one of the following rules would be breaking the requirements of the child labor provisions
of the FLSA?
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following occurs when the union decides to stop working?
A. Boycott
B. Lockout
C. Strike
D. Involuntary exit
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A strike occurs when the union decides to stop working.Answer
option D is incorrect. Involuntary exits is process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing
or changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such as
performance problems, etc. Answer option B is incorrect. A lockout occurs when
management shuts down operations to keep the union from working.Answer option A is
incorrect. Boycotts occur when the union and the employees work together against an
employer to express their dissatisfaction with the employer's actions, or to try to force the
employer into accepting their demands.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Lee is a worker in a facility that offers a ten percent shift premium. Lee's hourly rate for the
day shift is $12, but he's volunteered to work the next month on the swing shift. What will
Lee's hourly rate be for the next month?
A. $13.20
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Project managers must balance and control five factors in every project: time, cost, quality,
scope, and what other factor?\
A. Communication
B. Budget
C. Human resources
D. Risk
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Blended
B. Projectized
C. Functional
D. Matrix
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
You are the HR Professional for your organization. You have just hired a new employee for
your company. What form are you and the newly hired employee required to complete to
show the employee's identity and eligibility to work in the United States?
A. IRCA-00
B. I-9
C. 1099
D. IRCA-86
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which report do local and state governments require employers to file in odd-numbered
years?
A. EEO-1 Report
B. EEO-3 Report
C. EEO-4 Report
D. EEO-5 Report
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Which of the following is best defined as a benefit plan that uses an actuarial formula to
calculate the contribution amount needed to reach a predetermined benefit amount at
retirement?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
The Taft-Hartley Act, also known as the Labor Management Relations Act, addressed
unions and engaged in certain types of secondary boycotts. What is a secondary boycott?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
Which of the following Supreme Court cases found that an employer can be held liable for
the sexual harassment of its employees?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
You are the HR Professional for your organization and you're reviewing the performance
appraisal systems your company can use. Which performance appraisal approach uses a
paired comparison method in the review?
A. Results-based
B. Rating method
C. Comparative method
D. Narrative method
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. When an employer treats all applicants the same regardless of their race, color, sex,
religion, national origin, age, disability, or military or veteran status.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following occurs when the union decides to stop working?
A. Lockout
B. Strike
C. Involuntary exit
D. Boycott
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A strike occurs when the union decides to stop working.Answer
option C is incorrect. Involuntary exits is process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing
or changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such as
performance problems, etc. Answer option A is incorrect. A lockout occurs when
management shuts down operations to keep the union from working.Answer option D is
incorrect. Boycotts occur when the union and the employees work together against an
employer to express their dissatisfaction with the employer's actions, or to try to force the
employer into accepting their demands.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
What management theory suggests that compensation is a hygiene factor that doesn't
motivate workers to excel at performance, but its absence can de-motivate workers?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Marcy is an hourly-paid employee in the JKJ Company. Her supervisor Tom has asked
Marcy to not begin working on a presentation until he leaves a meeting. The meeting
happens to last six hours and Marcy doesn't have other work to do while Tom is in the
meeting. Marcy decides to read a book while she waits. According to the Fair Labor
Standards Act should Marcy be paid for reading the book? Choose the best answer:
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
The correlation coefficient is a statistical measurement that is useful for which of the
following?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The correlation coefficient is useful in determining whether two
factors are connected. For example, the correlation coefficient will tell you whether an
increase in resignations is related to a change in location of the worksite and, if so, whether
the change had a strong impact on resignations. See Chapter 2 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
A. Checklists
B. Questionnaires of employees and management
C. Classroom training
D. Surveys
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. A list of all employees in the bargaining unit provided by the union to the employer within
7 days of the scheduling of an election by the NLRB
B. A list of all employees in the bargaining unit provided by the employer to the union within
7 days of the scheduling of an election by the NLRB
C. A list of the employees who do not want the union to represent them
D. A list of the employees who have signed authorization cards for the union
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Once an election has been scheduled, the employer must
provide a list, known as an Excelsior list, containing the names and address of all
employees in the bargaining unit determined by the NLRB. See Chapter 7 for more
information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Holly is the Senior HR Professional for her organization and she needs to address the use
of video cameras in the workplace. In Holly's company, surveillance cameras are used as
an anti-theft deterrent and as a means of employee safety in case of violence, theft, or
attack. What portion of a conflict of interest statement should Holly address for the use of
video surveillance cameras?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Control chart
B. Histogram chart
Answer: C
Explanation:
nswer option C is correct.An Ishikawa chart is also known as a fishbone diagram or a
cause-and-effect chart.The Ishikawa diagram (or fishbone diagram or also cause-and-
effect diagram) is a diagram that shows the causes of a certain event. A common use of
the Ishikawa diagram is to identify potential factors causing an overall effect. It helps
identify causal factors and root causes.
f108933It is known as a fishbone diagram because of its shape, similar to the side view of
a fish skeleton. It is considered as a basic tool of quality management. Answer option B is
incorrect. A histogram is simply a bar chart and isn't ordered from largest to
smallest.Answer option D is incorrect. A Pareto chart is a special histogram in that it shows
categories of failures from the largest failure to the smallest failure.Answer option A is
incorrect. A control chart shows trend analysis by tracking the results of measurements
over time."Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN:
978-0-470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge."
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Organization Development
OSHA defines occupational safety and health hazards and how employers are to respond
to certain scenarios that could happen in the workplace. One such standard is The General
Duty Standard, Section 5. What does this standard mandate for employers?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
The motivation theory that suggests people are motivated by the reward they will receive
when they succeed and that they weigh the value of the expected reward against the effort
required to achieve it is known as what?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Vroom explains his theory with three terms: expectancy (the
individual's assessment of their ability to achieve the goal), instrumentality (whether the
individual believes they are capable of achieving the goal), and valence (whether the
anticipated goal is worth the effort required to achieve it). Adams' equity theory (D) states
that people are constantly comparing what they put into work to what they get from it.
McClelland's acquired needs theory (C) states that people are motivated by one of three
During an interview test John scored highly as being an individual who possesses empathy
for others. John has been awarded the job and is now performing in the organization.
Evidence since John's hiring has shown that John is indeed someone who is empathetic to
others. This is an example of what type of validity?
A. Predictive validity
B. Construct-related validity
C. Criterion-related validity
D. Content validity
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Arbitrators chosen by all parties to resolve any disputes arising between them in the future
are known as what?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.All parties agree that permanent arbitrators are fair, impartial,
and able to resolve any issues that arise between them. A tripartite arbitration panel (B)
consists of three arbitrators who hear the issues and reach a joint decision. An ad hoc
arbitrator (D) is selected to hear a single case. In compulsory arbitration, both parties are
mandated to the arbitration process (A). See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Dispute Resolution
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The NLRB imposes a voluntary-recognition bar while
negotiations take place between the union and an employer that voluntarily recognized the
union. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Labor Relations
A. Criterion-Related validity
B. Construct validity
C. Predictive validity
D. Content validity
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
As of July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage is set at which of the following?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.As of July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage was raised to
$7.25 per hour from (C) $6.55 per hour, which became effective on July 24, 2008. The
minimum wage in some states and other localities may be different. See Chapter for more
information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Data integrity, employment practices liability insurance, OSHA, and workplace violence
policies are all examples of which of the following HR functions?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Risk management has influence that goes beyond the traditional
safety role of HR, often influencing other HR functions such as EEO compliance (C),
workforce planning (A) and employee relations (B). It revolves around removing or
mitigating business risks, whether they are internal or external, or data- or employee-
driven. See Chapters 4, 7, and 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
What term is used to describe the values, worth, work ethics, attitude, and collective sense
of an identity in an organization?
A. Organizational persona
B. Organizational politics
C. Organizational branding
D. Organizational culture
Answer: D
Which of the following occurs when an employer makes untrue promises or claims to a
candidate?
A. Lockout
B. Constructive discharge
C. Fraudulent misrepresentation
D. Involuntary exit
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Fraudulent misrepresentation occurs when an employer makes
untrue promises or claims to a candidate.Answer option A is incorrect. A lockout occurs
when management shuts down operations to keep the union from working.Answer option D
is incorrect. Involuntary exits is process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing or
changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such as
performance problems, etc. Answer option B is incorrect. Constructive discharge occurs
when the employer forces an employee to resign by creating a work environment that is
unpleasant for the person.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
A. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for
the worth of responsibilities.
B. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for
which positions with each grade are federally mandated that employees be paid.
C. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for
which positions with each grade are generally paid.
D. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum value for which
employees are generally paid through incentives.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
Your organization has created an affirmative action plan which includes an internal audit
and reporting system. According to the Department of Labor there are four actions which
should be included in the internal audit and reporting system to be effective. Which of the
following is not one of the Department of Labor recommended actions for the internal audit
and reporting system?
Answer: B
A board of directors can have an inside director and an outside director. What is an inside
director?
A. It is an employee that serves as the director for the corporation's board, but also has
operational responsibilities, such as the CEO or CFO.
B. It is the director of the corporation's board that also started the corporation.
C. It is an employee that also serves as the director for the corporation's board.
D. It is an employee that has been hired by the company to be the director of the board.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
“Thanks for such a great presentation! You'll always have a job with us.” This is an
example of what?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.An express contract can be oral or written and states what the
parties to the contract agree to do. The duty of good faith and fair dealing (A) is a common-
law doctrine that parties to an oral or written contract have an obligation to act in a fair and
honest manner to facilitate achievement of the contract goals. An implied contract (C) can
be created by conduct and doesn't have to be stated explicitly. Fraudulent
misrepresentation (B) occurs when an employer makes false statements to entice a
candidate to join the company. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following refers to salaries that are below the minimum of the salary range?
A. Base pay
B. Salary survey
C. Green circle
D. Gross pay
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Green circle refers to salaries that are below the minimum of the
salary range.Answer option D is incorrect. Gross pay is the amount earned by an employee
before taxes are not paid.Answer option A is incorrect. Base pay is the foundation of an
employer's compensation program because it reflects the value placed on individual jobs
by the organization.Answer option B is incorrect. A salary survey is used to determine
current market trends and competition for different skills and knowledge and to assist the
employer in setting pay levels.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
A code of conduct is primarily used by companies that wish to do which of the following?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A code of conduct is one tool used by employers to clearly
communicate company expectations. With regular feedback, employees are given the
opportunity to succeed in their jobs based on organizational needs. A code of conduct is
not the foundation of a system (D), nor does it focus on providing EEO in employment (B)
or discourage violations of company policy (C). See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
A. Five years
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and it is illegal in the US based on what
law?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Seven years
B. Five years
C. One year
D. Two weeks
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Your manager has approached you regarding her desire to outsource certain functions to
an external firm. She would like for you to create a document to send to three vendors
asking them for solutions for these functions that your organization is to outsource. What
type of a procurement document would you create and send to the vendors in this
instance?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Fred is creating a user manual for his organization. On the cover of the manual he has
added a picture of a flower that he found on a website. You ask Fred if he has permission
to use the flower and what rights are retained for the flower picture. Fred informs you that
the photo came from a website so it's in the public domain. Are photos and images from
web sites considered to be in the public domain?
A. No, photos and images from web sites are still protected by copyright laws.
B. Yes, all images, not words or text, are copyright free online.
C. Yes, the Internet is owned by the government so anything online is in the public domain.
D. No, photos and images from web sites are protected by International Electronic Copying
Laws.
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
What component of the strategic planning process is responsible for creating the
company's vision statement?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
What term is used to describe the values, worth, work ethics, attitude, and collective sense
of an identity in an organization?
A. Organizational persona
B. Organizational politics
C. Organizational branding
D. Organizational culture
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Your organization will be using the point factor technique in their evaluations of job
performance. You need to communicate what the point factor technique accomplishes as
you're the HR Professional for your organization. Which one of the following best describes
the point factor technique?
A. Specific compensable factors are identified and then performance levels within the
factors are weighted on importance to the employee.
B. Performance factors are identified by the employee and then performance levels within
the factors are weighted based on importance to the organization.
C. Specific compensable factors are identified and then performance levels within the
factors are documented. The different factors and levels are weighted based on importance
to the organization.
D. Specific compensable factors are identified and then performance levels within the
factors are documented.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
You are a HR Professional for your organization and you're coaching Thomas on human
resources practices, particularly the role of the HR Professional in strategic planning. You
tell Thomas the importance of vision, mission, and values of an organization. Thomas asks
what the difference is between vision and mission. Which one of the following best
describes the difference between vision and mission for an organization?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
You are leading a brief presentation for your company about the ERISA program your
company participates in. What is ERISA used for?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Benefits
A. $70,000
B. $50,000
C. $10,000
D. $100,000
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Don reports to his manager Marsha in the NJHG Company. Marsha informs Don that her
supervisor Nate will be interviewing Don for insight into Don's performance, goals, and
career. What term best describes this scenario?
A. Skip-level interview
B. Open-door policy
C. 360-degree review
D. Performance review
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Direct compensation is composed of base pay (hourly wage or
salary), variable compensation, and pay for performance. Vacation pay (C), 401(k)
matches (B), and employer Social Security contributions (A) are examples of indirect
compensation. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
A. Execution
B. Discipline
C. Order
D. Equity
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A strategic response to the increasing use of mobile technology in the applicant job search
would include all of the following except which?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The use of Facebook and LinkedIn are effective sources for all
positions, but not necessarily the best strategic response to the increase in use of mobile
technology. Giving applicants the ability to view open positions remotely requires that a
company website is designed to maximize ease of use on these devices (C). Online job
posting with video (B) is an example of a tool used in a social-media recruiting campaign,
created either in-house or through the use of a professional firm (D). (See Chapter 4 for
more information.)
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
A. Strategic
B. Administrative
C. Organizational
D. Operational
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
Objective: Strategy
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules
governing unions and management in the bargaining process. There are three primary
types of bargaining that management and unions participate in. Which one of the following
bargaining types aims to generate a variety of options before settling on one?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
You are a HR Professional for your organization. You and your supervisor are reviewing
the EEO reporting requirements for your company to comply with the reports your firm
A. EEO-3 Report
B. EEO-4 Report
C. EEO-5 report
D. EEO-1 Report
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Demonstration
B. Distance learning
C. Self-study
D. Vestibule training
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Distance learning is similar to a lecture in that a presenter
provides information to a group of participants but does not require active participation.
Vestibule training (D) is a form of simulation training. Demonstration (A) is an experiential
training method. Self-study (C) is an active training method. See Chapters 2 and 5 for more
information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
Topic 4, Volume D
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules
governing union-based strikes. What is the ally doctrine?
A. A union may expand upon its primary picketing activity to include employers who are
allies of the primary employer.
B. A union may serve as an ally to another striking union by allowing their members to join
the picket against the primary employer.
C. A secondary boycott occurs when a union tries to compel an employer.
D. Employers cannot force friends, colleagues, and family members into joining a union
picket. Allies of the picketing union can allow allies into the picket line.
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Jan is the HR Professional for her organization and she's meeting with the management to
discuss the results of a balanced scorecard review. In particular, the management is asking
Jan for her opinion how the organization can enhance organizational performance through
education of the organization's employees. Which specific component of the balanced
score is the management likely to be concerned with, in this scenario?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Learning and growth focus on employee training and attitudes
towards the individual and corporate growth.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: HR Metrics: Measuring Results
Holly is the HR Professional for her organization and she's examining the type of
exemptions for computer employees. What is the minimum rate that the computer
employee must earn to be considered exempt?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Employees' pay fluctuates based on what type of work they are performing.
B. Employees are rewarded in non-compensatory methods, such as training or time off.
C. Employees are rewarded based on the number of units they sell.
D. Employees share in the cost savings achieved through productivity gains.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Samantha applied as an outside sales rep for a new sales territory. Part of the selection
process included an assessment test that measures successful sales characteristics.
Samantha scored particularly high on the test. During the interview, Christopher, the hiring
manager, had some concerns about how well Samantha would fit into the company culture,
but when he learned how high she scored on the test, he immediately decided to hire her.
What bias could be at work in this situation?
A. Halo effect
B. Knowledge-of-predictor effect
C. Cultural-noise effect
D. Stereotyping effect
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The knowledge-of-predictor effect occurs when an interviewer is
Which of the following defines a list of jobs not suitable for children between the ages of 16
and 18?
A. OSHA
B. FECA
C. IRCA
D. FLSA
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines a list of jobs not
suitable for children between the ages of 16 and 18.Answer option A is incorrect. OSHA
stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is an agency of the
United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under
the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on
December 29, 1970. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and
occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health.
The agency is headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor. OSHA issues guidelines
and regulations for the safe use of a computer. Answer option C is incorrect. The IRCA, or
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, prohibits employers from hiring
undocumented workers (sometimes called illegal aliens). It is an Act of Congress which
reformed United States immigration law. Answer option B is incorrect. Federal Employees
Compensation Act (FECA) is a law that provides rules for compensation benefits to federal
You are an HR Professional for your organization. You and your supervisor are reviewing
the EEO reporting requirements for your company to comply with the reports your firm
should file. Which EEO Report is a survey, collected every other year on even calendar
years?
A. EEO-4 Report
B. EEO-5 Report
C. EEO-1 Report
D. EEO-3 Report
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
There are several union actions that are considered unfair labor practices. One such
practice is that unions may require employers to pay for services that are not rendered. For
example, a union cannot require an organization to continue to pay employees to do jobs
that have been rendered obsolete by changes in the technology. Which of the following
A. Collusion
B. Coercion
C. Hot cargo agreement
D. Featherbedding
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Kelly would like to conduct the Delphi Technique with her employees to find out what
issues and concerns the team has collectively. What is the Delphi Technique?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Virginia is the HR Professional for her organization and she is reviewing the details of the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. She tells John, one of her staff
members, that the ADEA prohibits discrimination on the basis of age for employees and job
applicants who are above a certain age. What age does the ADEA apply to employees and
job applicants?
A. 50 and above
B. 40 and above
C. 30 and above
D. All people regardless of their age
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Drag and drop the types of insurance beside their corresponding descriptions.
Answer:
Fran is a HR Professional for her organization and she is interviewing applicants for a
warehouse position. One of the candidates has written on his application that he speaks
Spanish. Fran interviews this candidate in Spanish and interviews all other candidates in
English. This is an example of what?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
One of your employees has requested a leave from employment because of a call to
military service. You are obligated to allow the leave, but it turns out that the military service
was cancelled. Are you obligated to reemploy the individual under the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994?
A. Yes, if the company has a policy of re-hiring military personnel post-duty even if it is for
less than one year.
B. No, as this is one caveat to the law that allows employers to hire replacement
employments for military personnel for up to one year when they are called away for
military duty. Even if the duty is cancelled the employer must be able to retain business.
C. No, because the individual requested leave, you do not have to accept the individual
back for up to one year.
D. Yes, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994
requires it.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. A field-review process
B. A continuous-feedback process
C. A forced-ranking process
D. A behaviorally anchored rating-scale process
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A continuous-feedback review process is most effective
because it provides immediate feedback to employees, enabling them to correct
performance issues before they become major problems. In a field review (A), reviews are
conducted by someone other than the direct supervisor. Forced ranking (C) is an
evaluation method in which all employees are listed in order of their value to the work
group. The BARS process (D) identifies the most important job requirements and creates
statements that describe varying levels of performance. See Chapter 5 for more
information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Performance Appraisal
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
What provides the framework for collecting information about factors that are relevant to
A. An internal assessment
B. A SWOT analysis
C. A PEST analysis
D. An environmental scan
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.An environmental scan is used to gather the information used to
forecast future business conditions. SWOT (B) and PEST (C) analyses are tools used
during an environmental scan. An internal assessment (A) is another tool used during
strategic planning. See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Environmental Scanning Concepts
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Extrinsic rewards are nonmonetary rewards where self-esteem
comes from others, such as formal recognition for a job well done. Challenging work on a
new project (C) is an intrinsic reward. Salary increases (B) are monetary rewards. A feeling
of accomplishment after completing a tough assignment (A) is another type of intrinsic
reward. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
What is the time limit for filing a charge of discrimination with the EEOC?
A. 180 days
B. 30 days
C. 60 days
D. 90 days
Robert is the HR Professional for his organization and he's preparing for several interviews
with candidates for an open position in his company. Several interviewers will participate in
the interview process and Robert is meeting with all interviewers to discuss the process.
Robert wants to define and document the interview process for all interviewers to abide by
the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. What is the purpose of the
meeting and the documentation of the interview process?
A. Roberts wants to approve all questions the interviewers may ask the job candidates.
B. Robert wants all of the interviewers to ask the same questions.
C. Robert wants all of the interviewers to be consistent through the interviews.
D. Roberts wants all of the interviewers to grade each candidate.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
According to the WARN Act, an employer with 200 employees is required to provide 60
days' notice of a mass layoff when which of the following is true?
A. The employer is seeking additional funding and will lay off 70 employees if the funding
falls through.
B. A major client unexpectedly selects a new vendor for the company's products, and the
company lays off 75 employees.
C. The employer lays off 5 employees a week for 3 months.
D. A flood requires that one of the plants be shut down for repairs, and 55 employees are
laid off.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The WARN Act requires employers to provide 60 days' notice
when 500 employees or 33 percent of the workforce are laid off, and it requires the number
to be counted over a period of 90 days. Five employees a week for 3 months is a total of 65
Jennifer is an HR Professional and she's telling Hal about sexual harassment issues at
their workplace. Jennifer wants to distinguish between the types of sexual harassment in
this conversation. What are the two categories of sexual harassment Jennifer should
address?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
You are the Senior HR Professional in your organization and you're working with Janet, a
A. Activity list
B. Project network diagram
C. Project Work Breakdown Structure
D. Scope breakdown structure
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Janet has taken your project scope and decomposed it to a
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The WBS captures all components the project will
deliver.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a visual decomposition of the project scope. The
project scope is taken and broken down into smaller, more manageable units. Each of
these units can be broken down again and again until you define the smallest item in the
WBS called the work package.Project groups and the project's discrete work elements are
defined in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project. A WBS
element may be a product, data, a service, or any combination. WBS also provides the
necessary framework for detailed cost estimating and control along with providing guidance
for schedule development and control.
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Martha is the HR Professional for her organization and she's working with her team to
complete non-quantitative job evaluations. Martha wants to stress the available types of
non-quantitative job evaluation techniques that are appropriate for her team to be
communicated to managers. Which one of the following is not a non-quantitative job
evaluation technique that Martha should share?
A. Job slotting
B. Factor comparison
C. Whole job ranking
D. Job classification
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
An organization is launching a strategic planning session. One of the primary goals of this
session is to define the goals of the organization. Which of the following statements best
defines a goal that is created as part of the strategic planning session?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
As an HR Professional, you must be familiar with collective bargaining agreements and the
process that rights are given, contracts, and union and management cooperation. With this
in mind, what is a rights arbitration?
A. It is a not a lawsuit, but a resolution of laws and their impact on existing contracts.
B. It is a lawsuit between the collective management and the collective union.
C. It is a formal hearing between the management and the union, to resolve grievances
during the construction of a contract.
D. It is a formal hearing between management and union members to resolve grievances
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A co-worker who witnesses the ongoing harassment of another
individual may have an actionable claim of a hostile work environment. A single incident of
unwanted touching (C), unless it is particularly offensive or intimidating, will not reach the
threshold of a hostile work environment established by the courts. A hostile work
environment may be created by any individual in the workplace, including customers,
vendors, or visitors, in addition to supervisors or co-workers (A). In the case of Meritor
Savings Bank v. Vinson, the Supreme Court held that the mere existence of a grievance
procedure and antiharassment policy (B) does not necessarily protect an employer from
hostile work environment claims. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
John is a nonexempt employee in your company and he works Monday through Friday,
8AM to 5 PM. He will be flying from Chicago to Nashville on Sunday afternoon to represent
your company in a trade show on Monday. The flight from Chicago leaves at 4PM and will
arrive in Nashville at 6PM. How many hours of compensation is John eligible for because
A. Zero
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
A. Predictive validity
B. Construct validity
C. Criterion-Related validity
D. Content validity
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
A training class is being held on how to install a new light fixture for a project. There are
2,433 light fixtures to install in the project, so all project team members will need to learn
how to install the light fixture. The project manager wants to ensure that all fixtures are
installed identically. In the training, participants learn how to install the fixture by following a
step-by-step direction. All of the participants can now install the light fixture relatively easily
and quickly. There's not much more to learn in the installation, so their learning tapers off in
regard to the light fixture installation. This is an example of what type of learning curve?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Ned is an HR professional for his organization and he's analyzing how employees
complete certain tasks on the assembly line. There have been some complaints and claims
over the past few months of repetitive stress injuries and cumulative trauma injuries to
A. Job shadowing
B. Ergonomics
C. OSHA compliance
D. Mitigation
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following is paid to employees who are called to work before or after their
scheduled hours?
A. Base pay
B. Call-back pay
C. Gross pay
D. Hazard pay
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Call-back pay is paid to employees who are called to work
before or after their scheduled hours.Answer option A is incorrect. Base pay is the
foundation of an employer's compensation program because it reflects the value placed on
individual jobs by the organization.Answer option C is incorrect. Gross pay is the amount
earned by an employee before taxes are not paid.Answer option D is incorrect. Hazard pay
Before selecting an HRIS system, which of the following questions should be answered?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A needs analysis will provide answers to these questions, as
well as whether the HRIS will be integrated with payroll or other systems and what kinds of
reports will be produced. See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Human Resource Technology
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
According to the WARN Act, an employer with 200 employees is required to provide 60
days' notice of a mass layoff when which of the following is true?
A. A flood requires that one of the plants be shut down for repairs, and 55 employees are
laid off.
B. The employer lays off 5 employees a week for 3 months.
C. A major client unexpectedly selects a new vendor for the company's products, and the
company lays off 75 employees.
D. The employer is seeking additional funding and will lay off 70 employees if the funding
falls through.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The WARN Act requires employers to provide 60 days' notice
when 500 employees or 33 percent of the workforce are laid off, and it requires the number
to be counted over a period of 90 days. Five employees a week for 3 months is a total of 65
employees (5 employees times 13 weeks), which is 33 percent of the workforce. The three
exceptions are the “faltering company exception” (D) when knowledge of a layoff will
negatively impact the company's ability to obtain additional funding, the “unforeseeable
business circumstance” (C) when unexpected circumstances occur, and the “natural
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires only federal
contractors and subcontractors to establish substance abuse policies. A fair and effective
policy will describe which employees will be tested (D), whether it is all or specific job
groups. The policy should describe (B) when tests will be done (pre-employment,
randomly, on reasonable suspicion, or according to a predetermined schedule), what drugs
are included in the process, and the consequences for employees who test positive (A).
See Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Jane is preparing for an interview process for an open position within her company. Jane
has prepared several questions for the interview. In her questions, Jane is careful not to
ask all of the following questions, except for which one?
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Beth is an HR Professional for her organization and she has been alerted by management
that the company will be outsourcing a large portion of operations. This outsourcing will
likely cause several employees to lose employment with the organization. Which of the
following is the best course of action that Beth can take in regard to communicating with
the employees about the outsourcing change?
A. Document all questions and create exact, formal answers in writing with management's
approval.
B. Refer all questions about the outsourcing decision to management.
C. Do not share the details of the outsourcing decision.
D. Be honest and truthful and do not hide the facts.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. A written warning
B. A verbal warning
C. A suspension
D. Coaching or counseling
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.An effective progressive disciplinary process begins with
coaching or counseling, acknowledging good performance, and providing guidance on
performance that needs to be changed. Providing ongoing feedback, both positive and
negative, reduces the stress level for both employees and supervisors when serious
performance issues arise and must be addressed. A written warning (A) is the second step
of a formal disciplinary process. A verbal warning (B) is the first step. Suspensions (C) are
usually the last step prior to termination. See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
An organization requires that all new managers must complete the first six months of their
assignment traveling to different geographical locales. Female employees feel that this
requirement restricts them from management positions because they have family
obligations that would prevent them from traveling. The requirement to travel for six months
is likely an example of what type of discrimination in this instance?
A. Disparate impact
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,B,D
Explanation:
Answer options A, D, and B are correct.The following are the key components of
gainsharing:
✑ Employees and management work together for reviewing organizational
performance.
✑ The organization and the employees share the financial gains.
✑ If the goals for improvements are met, employees and managers share the
success.
Answer option C is incorrect. This is not the key component of gainsharing.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
The Federal Labor Standards Act is something that all HR Professionals should be familiar
with. This act clearly defines four areas that affect all employees. Which one of the
following is not one of the four areas of employment covered by this act?
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
The process of identifying risks and taking steps to minimize them is referred to as what?
A. Qualitative analysis
B. Risk management
C. Liability management
D. Risk assessment
Answer: B
Your organization has a retirement benefits plan that is covered by ERISA. Under ERISA,
which of the following is your organization required to do for the plan participants?
A. Provide each participant with monthly plan information, specifically about the features
and funding of the plan through a summary plan description at no more than $7 per
participant, per month.
B. Provide each participant with plan information, specifically about the features and
funding of the plan through a summary plan description at a cost of no more than $7 per
participant, per year.
C. Provide each participant with plan information, specifically about the features and
funding of the plan through a summary plan description at no cost.
D. Provide each participant with monthly plan information, specifically about the features
and funding of the plan through a summary plan description at no cost.
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Benefits
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Marketing is responsible for determining what new products will
be produced based on market research designed to find out what products customers are
willing to purchase. See Chapter 3 for more information.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Which of the following union security clauses specifies that all employees must either join
the union or pay union dues if they choose not to join the union?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The agency shop clause specifies that all employees must
either join the union or pay union dues if they choose not to join the union.Answer option B
is incorrect. The closed shop clause requires that all new hires be members of the union
before they are hired.Answer option A is incorrect. The maintenance of membership clause
The lawsuit Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Service, Inc. is a unique sexual harassment
case. What was the relevance of this case which makes it unique to human resource
professional?
A. It is a sexual harassment case that was brought about by a man being harassed by
women.
B. It is a sexual harassment case that was actually a fictitious account of harassment.
C. It is the first sexual harassment case that awarded a woman over $1,000,000.
D. It is a sexual harassment case that was brought about by a man being harassed by
men.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Three: Strategic Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification
Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with OSHA forms for maintaining employee
records. Which OSHA form is used to cover the what, how, when, where, and who or work-
related injuries?
A. Form 3165
B. Form 300
C. Form 301
D. Form 300A
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
Which of the following occurs in violation of a contract clause prohibiting strikes during the
term of the contract?
A. Wildcat strike
B. Lockout
C. Strike
D. Involuntary exit
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A wildcat strike occurs in violation of a contract clause
prohibiting strikes during the term of the contract.Answer option C is incorrect. A strike
occurs when the union decides to stop working.Answer option B is incorrect. A lockout
occurs when management shuts down operations to keep the union from working.Answer
option D is incorrect. Involuntary exits is process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing
or changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such as
performance problems, etc.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
An organization would like to bid on a project, but they don't have enough employees
A. Enhancing
B. Mitigation
C. Transference
D. Sharing
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules
governing unions and management in the bargaining process. What is the zipper clause in
regard to negotiations?
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
You are the Senior HR Professional for your organization and you're leading a workshop
on HR practices for your department. Your first topic is the Davis Bacon Act. What did the
Davis Bacon Act accomplish?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
You are reviewing an Affirmative Action Plan for your organization and you realize that you
need to identify someone within your company who has the necessary authority and
resources to implement the Affirmative Action Plan. What is the Affirmative Action Plan title
of this individual?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
A. Thawing
B. Unfreezing
C. Moving
D. Refreezing
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.There are three levels of the change process: unfreezing,
moving, and refreezing. Moving brings people to the realization that change will happen
and starts the actual process of change.There are three levels of the change process
theory:
✑ Unfreezing: This level brings people to the point of realizing that change will
happen. Sometimes people don't want organizational change to happen, but they
need to realize the change will occur.
✑ Moving: This level brings people to the realization that change will happen and
starts the actual process of change.
✑ Refreezing: In this level of change process theory, the change becomes the new
norm for the organization, the outcome is evaluated, and additional changes occur
A corporation is a legal entity that has rights and obligations. The corporation has a
responsibility to act in the best interests of its owners. What term describes the obligation of
the corporation to act in the best interest of its shareholders?
A. Fiduciary responsibility
B. Ethical responsibility
C. Mission statement
D. Corporate charter
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following alternative staffing methods would be most appropriate for a
A. Temp worker
B. Intern program
C. On-call worker
D. Seasonal worker
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.An on-call worker is the best solution for situation in which the
employer needs the same job to be done on a sporadic basis. This allows the employer to
rely on the same person to do the job, reducing training requirements. An intern program
(B) would not be appropriate because it is a short-term training solution. Seasonal workers
(D) are generally required only at specific times of the year. Temp workers (A) provided by
agencies may not be available when needed because they may be on other assignments.
See Chapter 4 for more information.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
What common law term best describes an employee's obligation to act with reasonable
care and skill for the employer?
A. Duty of diligence
B. Duty of obedience
C. Duty of honor
D. Duty of loyalty
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. Management Rights
B. Weingarten Right
C. Bumping Right
D. Right of Way
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A target benefit plan is a hybrid plan that has similarities to
defined-benefit pension plans and money-purchase plans. These plans use actuarial
formulas to calculate individual pension contribution amounts. Deferral percentage tests (A)
are required each year for 401(k) plans. An ESOP provides a means for employees to
become owners of the company (B). A money purchase plan (C) defers a fixed percentage
of employee earnings. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
A. Duty of loyalty
B. Constructive discharge
C. Defamation
D. Gainsharing
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Defamation can be described as a communication, which is
responsible for damaging an individual's reputation in the community, preventing him from
obtaining employment or other benefits.Answer option B is incorrect. A constructive
discharge occurs when an employer makes the workplace so hostile and inhospitable that
an employee resigns.Answer option A is incorrect. The duty of loyalty requires that all
employees act in the best interest of the employer and not solicit work away from the
employer to benefit themselves.Answer option D is incorrect. Gainsharing is a system of
management used by a business to get higher levels of performance through the
involvement and participation of its people. As performance improves, employees share
financially in the gain (improvement). Gainsharing is about people working smarter together
and not just working harder.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
As an HR Professional, you must be familiar with certain theories and insights about
organizational culture, organizational development, and management. Who addressed
organizational culture as "that's the way we do things around here"?
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
You are the SPHR for your organization. There has been some issues in your company
about how much authority functional managers are allowed to have over personnel
decisions. Your structure currently has all decision-making authority in higher levels of the
organization. Which of the following terms best describes your organizational structure?
A. Centralized organization
B. Projectized
C. Strong matrix structure
D. Functional structure
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Awkward postures
B. Contact stress
C. Falling down stairs
D. Extended vibrations
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Ergonomic injuries are caused by repeated stress to a part of
the body. A fall down the stairs is a single occurrence and therefore not an ergonomic
injury. See Chapter 8 for more information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Deal and Kennedy defined the four dimensions of organizational culture that you should be
familiar with, as an HR Professional. What dimension of organizational culture is best
defined by the hidden hierarchy of power?
A. Heroes
B. Culture network
C. Values
D. Joy
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Stephanie is an HR Professional and she's writing a review of new HR software for her HR
blog. Unfortunately the review is not positive and the owner of the software is threatening to
sue Stephanie because she broke copyright laws when she shared the review and included
screen captures. What protects Stephanie from the lawsuit?
A. Stephanie is actually protected from infringement of the copyright laws because of digital
use rights.
B. Stephanie is actually guilty of the copyright infringement when she shared the screen
captures.
C. Stephanie cannot share screen captures on the web as this is an infringement on digital
rights.
D. Stephanie is actually protected from infringement of the copyright laws because of fair
use rights.
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A. -$10,000
B. 125 percent
C. 80 percent
D. $10,000
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Compensation
You are the Senior HR Professional for your organization and you're leading a workshop
on HR practices for your department. Your first topic is the Davis Bacon Act. What did the
Davis Bacon Act accomplish?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A lockout is an action taken by the employer to stop employees
from working. A strike occurs when employees refuse to work (C). An employer that
refuses to allow the union to conduct an organizing campaign (B) is committing an unfair
labor practice. Picketing occurs when employees patrol the entrance to the business (D).
See Chapter 7 for more information.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
A. Trend analysis
B. Qualitative forecast
C. Management forecast
D. Delphi Technique
Which of the following focuses on preventive care and controlling health costs?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Health Maintenance Organizations focus on preventive care and
controlling health costs. They determine whether patients need to be seen by a
specialist.Answer option D is incorrect. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) utilizes a
network of health-care providers for patient services.Answer option C is incorrect.
Physician Hospital Organization is an entity formed by physicians and hospitals whose
objective is to negotiate contracts with payer organizations.Answer option A is incorrect. In
the Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), physicians may see only those patients who
are part of this organization.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.In a third-party contract, some or all of the work is performed by
an individual who is not a party to the contract. There are many examples of third-party
contracts in business; perhaps the best known for HR professionals is an agreement with a
temp agency in which the company agrees to pay the temp agency for services provided
by an employee of the agency. See Chapters 2 and 4 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Third-Party Contract Management
Your organization has decided to close one of the manufacturing plants, where it employs
250 employees. The closing is not a reflection of the employee's performance, but due to
poor sales of the equipment the plant produces. What is the employer required to do for the
employees in light of the plant closing?
A. Offer the employees a transfer to other plants that will remain open.
B. Offer a written notice of the plant closing at least 60 days prior to the closing date.
C. Offer the employees a final performance assessment.
D. Offer the employees an opportunity to resign from their position with two week
severance pay.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
You are developing a new seminar for your organization and you're meeting with John, the
Manufacturing Manager, about the seminar. You are asking questions to John such as why
the course is needed, what problem the course should solve, and what the current level of
competence the participants have about the course topic. What component of ADDIE are
you performing?
A. Development
B. Analysis
C. Aptitude
D. Investigate
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
As a Senior HR Professional you often have to participate in strategic planning for your
department and organization. Strategic planning has four phases to its completion. Which
of the following is not one of the four phases of strategic planning?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Strategy
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter
Seven: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of
Knowledge.
A. Tumors
B. Turnover
C. Burnout
D. De-motivation
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter 8:
Risk Management. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Establish credibility
B. It's not about you
C. Commit to achieve
D. Align people
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
According to the Copyright Act of 1976, which of the following is most likely to be
considered a fair use of copyrighted material?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Four factors are considered in determining whether the use of
published material is a fair use: the purpose of the use, the nature of the work being
copied, how much of the work is copied, and what economic effect copying the material will
have on the market value of the work. See Chapter 5 for more information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following points is important to effective lobbying: that is, attempting to
influence or persuade an elected official to pass, defeat, or modify a piece of legislation?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.To be effective, most experts agree that it is best to first do your
homework: that is, learn how the legislative and political process works. In this way, you
can participate effectively in the process. Persuasive skills (B) are useful in presenting your
point of view. (C) Big financial contributions are often used by lobbyists to ensure that
elected representatives will listen to their points of view. Lobbyists prefer to present a
proposed solution to elected officials (D). See Chapter 3 for more information.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Legislative and Regulatory Processes
You are the HR Professional for your organization and management has asked you about
the requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Specifically, management wants to
know the threshold of number of employees that require an organization to participate in
the act. What is the minimum number of employees that an organization must have in order
to be required to participate in the ADA law?
A. 50 employees or more
B. 15 employees or more
C. All companies are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
D. 100 employees or more
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
There are four factors that contribute to an engaged workforce. Which of the following is
NOT one of the four factors that will contribute to an engaged workforce?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
A. An employee requests off from work because of a religious holiday. The manager
agrees but asks the employee to make up the work the employee will miss.
B. An organization requires all newly hired employees to have college degrees even
though a degree is not needed to perform all jobs within the organization.
C. An employee requests off from work because of a religious holiday. The manager
agrees but scrutinizes the work the employee does after the holiday. The manager does
not inspect the work of other employees who did not ask off for the holiday.
D. An organization requires all newly hired employees to have college degrees for certain
positions within the company.
A. Reporting pay
B. Base pay
C. Hazard pay
D. Gross pay
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Hazard pay is additional pay for working in dangerous
conditions.Answer option A is incorrect. If an employee is called by the employer for work
and there is no work available, the employer may be required by state law or employment
agreements to pay for a minimum number of hours of work. This is known as reporting
pay.Answer option B is incorrect. Base pay is the foundation of an employer's
compensation program because it reflects the value placed on individual jobs by the
organization.Answer option D is incorrect. Gross pay is the amount earned by an employee
before taxes are not paid.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Answer:
You are an HR Professional for your organization and you're preparing your team for a
series of interviews. You want the team to be familiar with the validity types you'll use and
encourage in the series of interviews. During the interview process, the candidate will need
to complete a psychological test to determine his ability to perform in the job role based on
collected and desired traits. This is an example of what type of validity?
A. Construct-related validity
B. Predictive validity
Answer: A
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following is best defined as a benefit plan that makes contributions based on a
percentage of company earnings each year?
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
As a Senior HR Professional you should be familiar with the rights of employees and how it
A. It is the right of the employee to refuse to work overtime hours that may have been
requested by management.
B. It is the right of an employee to have a union representative present at any investigatory
interview that the employee believes may lead to a disciplinary action.
C. It is the right of an exempt employee to refuse to work more than 40 hours per week in
seven-day time period.
D. It is the right of the employee to leave the organization's employment at anytime without
retribution by withholding or delaying payments due for work.
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
As an SPHR you know that it's important for the management to show recognition for
employees that have gone above and beyond what's expected of them. For rewards and
recognition to be useful, the employees must be interested in the recognition. What other
factor must be true?
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
Objective: Organizations
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The purpose of a diversity initiative is to increase the
effectiveness of an already diverse workforce by educating the employee population about
the benefits of a diverse workforce, which includes increased creativity (C) and an
enhanced ability to attract customers (A). See Chapter 2 for more information.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Unique Employee Needs
What term is assigned to an employee that makes a complaint about their employer to a
federal agency claiming that illegal activity has occurred?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
A. Geographic pay
B. Base pay
C. Commissions
D. Hazard pay
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Commissions provide incentives to sales employees by paying
them a percentage of the sale price for products and services sold to a
customer.Commission is a type of incentive to sales employees. The company pays them a
percentage of the sale price for products and services sold to a customer. Commission
may serve as the entire cash compensation package, or it may be provided in combination
with a base salary.Answer option B is incorrect. Base pay is the amount of compensation
that the employer and the employee agree will be paid for the performance of particular
duties.Answer option D is incorrect. Hazard pay is additional pay for dangerous or risky
working conditions.Answer option A is incorrect. Geographic pay ensures that employees
working in different locations are paid at rates competitive in the labor market for specific
jobs and locations.
As part of your implementation of a new course, you will deliver pilot programs to a small
group of learners in your organization. Which of the following are the two types of pilot
programs that an organization can use within ADDIE?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 5: Human Resource Development. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
A standard employment practice that seems to be fair yet results in discrimination against a
protected class is a description of what?
A. Unfair treatment
B. Disparate treatment
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Disparate impact occurs when an employment practice that
seems to be fair unintentionally discriminates against members of a protected class.
Disparate treatment (B) occurs when a protected group is treated differently than other
applicants or employees. The EEOC defines adverse impact (D) as a substantially different
rate of selection in hiring, promotion, or another employment decision that works to the
disadvantage of members of a race, a sex, or an ethnic group. Unfair treatment (A) can
refer to any perceived difference in how employees are treated. See Chapter 4 for more
information.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Topic 5, Volume E
A. Providing expertise
B. Identifying strategic goals
C. Formulating the strategy
D. Scanning the environment
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.HR participates in the strategic planning process by providing
expertise on attracting, retaining, and managing a qualified workforce. Organization
strategies (C) are formulated by the executive team. Each business function participates in
the environmental-scanning process (D), gathering information about its area of
responsibility. Strategic goals (B) are identified by the executive team during the strategy-
formulation phase.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.An HR budget reflects how many and what types of resources
are necessary to accomplish a goal. The addition of employees, costs to train, and the
purchase of new equipment are all examples of items that require cash to achieve strategic
goals.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following methods of quantitative analysis would be most effective for an
organization with data that is out of date?
A. Trend analysis
B. Weighted average
C. Simple linear regression
D. Mode
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Measures of central tendency such as mean average, moving
Which of the following creates a variety of affirmative action obligations for employers with
federal government contracts?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
The court case that identified adverse impact as an unlawful employment practice was
which of the following?
A. Washington v. Davis
B. Taxman v. School Board of Piscataway
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Griggs identified adverse impact to mean that discrimination
need not be intentional to exist; Albemarle Paper (D) extended the concept to require that
tests must be validated in accordance with the EEOC Uniform Guidelines for Employee
Selection Procedures. Washington (A) determined that employment tests resulting in
adverse impact are acceptable if they predict future success on the job. Taxman (B) found
that employment decisions made on the basis of race are discriminatory.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following types of interview is based on the premise that past behavior
predicts future behavior?
A. Activity interview
B. Stress interview
C. Behavioral interview
D. Structured interview
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Which of the following occurs when two or more organizations are combined into a single
entity?
A. Workforce reduction
B. Lockout
C. Merger
D. Reengineering
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategic Management
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
A. Action-oriented
B. Strength
C. Technology
D. Threat
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A SMART goal is specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic,
and time-based.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Review Questions
A department manager advises you that the productivity of his data-entry operators is
unsatisfactory and asks you to develop a training program to improve their data-entry skills.
What is your first step?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A needs assessment is conducted to determine what is required
to solve a problem, including whether training is the appropriate intervention. If, for
example, network crashes are the cause of the low productivity, training will not solve the
problem. Lesson plans (A) are created during the design stage of training discussed in
Chapter 5. Talking to other managers to validate the situation (D) may be included in the
needs assessment along with other factors. The training method is selected (C) during the
development phase discussed in Chapter 5.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Holly is the HR Professional for her organization and she's examining the type of
exemptions for computer employees. What is the minimum rate that the computer
employee must earn to be considered exempt?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following business structure is owned by two or more people who share final
authority for all business decisions?
A. Partnership
B. Sole proprietorship
C. Limited liability company (LLC)
D. Corporation
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Ethics, offshoring, data security, and philanthropy are all examples of HR's role in which of
the following functions?
A. Workforce planning
B. Technology development
C. Corporate responsibility
D. Strategic planning
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Corporate responsibility has influence across all HR functions.
Examples of CR concepts explored throughout the strategic planning process include
worker rights, legal compliance, company culture development, and corporate governance
(D, A, B).
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is the middle value when values are arranged from high to low?
A. Mode
B. Average
C. Median
D. Mean
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Which of the following is another term for a profit and loss statement?
A. Income statement
B. Fiscal year summary
C. Balance sheet
D. Statement of cash flow
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.An income statement, also referred to as a profit and loss
statement, provides financial information about revenue and expenses in a set reporting
period. The statement of cash flow (D) communicates the ways in which monies came in
and out of the organization, and the balance sheet (C) is a thumbnail sketch of assets,
A. 25
B. 15
C. 5
D. 30
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Manufacturers, importers, processors, and distributors of toxic
chemicals must keep records related to hazardous material exposures, including claims of
occupational diseases, for 30 years from the report date.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
You are the senior HR Professional for your company. Management has asked you to
identify how you'll measure results for human resources performance through one of four
tactical accountability measures. Which of the following tactical accountability measures is
not a valid measurement approach for HR performance?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following is the correct definition of “a major life activity” under the Americans
with Disabilities Act?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A major life activity under the ADA defines major life activities
under two categories: general activities such as caring for oneself and major bodily
functions such as breathing. A physical or mental impairment in and of itself does not
constitute a disability (B, D) qualified for protection under the ADA. Mitigating factors (A)
are considered if they allow an otherwise qualified individual to perform the essential
functions of the job.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
For employers with 15 or more employees, records of all job announcements, applications,
and resumes must be kept for one year under which of the following acts?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to employers with 15
or more employees, and regulates employment practices—including record-keeping and -
retention—related to qualified individuals with a disability. EO 11246 (A) and Title VII of the
Which of the following is the process used to identify and determine duties associated with
a particular job?
A. Job analysis
B. Job description
C. Needs assessment
D. Risk acceptance
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following collects data from employers throughout the United States in order
to put this information on its website?
Answer:
Mark made a federal complaint against what he believes was illegal activity in the
workplace to a federal agency. Now Mark's employer has reduced his work hours
dramatically and Mark believes it is revenge for the federal complaint he made. What term
describes the type of evidence Mark must have to file another complaint against the
company that has affected his employment?
A. Ad hoc
B. Written and compiled
C. Pure
D. Prima facie
Answer: D
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following ensures that the product or service meets acceptable standards?
A. Scheduling
B. Facility location
C. Inventory management
D. Quality management
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Within the first 90 days of his employment, a security guard physically assaulted an alleged
shoplifter. Upon investigation, it was found that he had been previously convicted of a
violent crime, but the employer failed to conduct a background check. This is an example of
which of the following?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Negligent hiring occurs when an employer knows or should
have known about an applicant's prior history that endangered customers, employees,
Which of the following structural changes is used to decrease expenses by reducing the
size of the workforce?
A. Workforce reduction
B. Corporate restructuring
C. Workforce expansion
D. Reengineering
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategic Management
A. Joint venture
B. Limited profit partner
C. General partnership
D. Limited partnership
Which of the following Acts was the first federal legislation to regulate minimum wages?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Employee Records Management
A. Information Technology
B. Finance
C. Accounting
D. Research and Development
Answer: D
Explanation:
Computer-based training, web-based training, and virtual learning are all examples of
what?
A. Self-directed learning
B. Mobile learning
C. Asynchronous training
D. Electronic learning
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Electronic or e-learning encompasses many forms of
synchronous and asynchronous training (C). Mobile and self-directed learning (B and A)
are two examples of e-learning principles. E-learning is discussed in more detail in Chapter
5.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Answer:
Which of the following identifies individuals within the organization who have the talent and
ability to move into management and executive positions?
A. Reengineering
B. Restructuring strategy
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Which of the following is NOT a technique commonly used to market products and
services?
A. Rebate
B. Contest
C. Discount
D. Placement
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The EEO-1 report requires employers to group jobs into job
categories based on average skill level, knowledge, and responsibility. Exempt workers are
defined by professional, executive, and administrative exemption criteria (D), and these are
not examples of the protected class groups under federal law (B).
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Data for employee expense reports is maintained by the
accounting department. An HRIS system can be used to collect and track employee data
for various uses, including EEO-1 reporting, time and attendance, and other employee
records.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
The middle value when values are arranged in order from high to low is which of the
following?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The median is the middle value when values are arranged from
high to low. Half the numbers are higher than the median; half are lower. The mean (C) is
calculated by adding up the values and dividing by the number of values. The mode (A) is
the value that occurs most frequently in a set of numbers. The moving average (B) keeps
data current by dropping the oldest data when new data is added.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
A. Personality test
B. Integrity test
C. Aptitude test
D. Cognitive Ability Test
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
A. Recruiting for a multigenerational workforce increase the applicant pool from which to
choose employees.
B. A multigenerational workforce is a reflection of the population, considering the large
number of baby boomers who are reaching retirement age.
C. A multigenerational workforce increases an organization's productivity.
D. A multigenerational workforce increases the availability of different perspectives for use
in management decision-making.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A multigenerational workforce is one example of the diversity
represented in the workplace today. Bringing in new points of view for strategic decision
making and needs identification (D), the ability to access the knowledge of a broad range of
workers (A), and reflecting the ever-changing face of the customers (B) are three of the
benefits of having an older workforce. A multi-generational workforce does not directly
impact organizational productivity.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following are hired only at times of the year when the workload increases?
A. Seasonal workers
B. On-call workers
C. Independent contractors
D. Intern
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Which of the following types of interview has a list of questions prepared in advance and is
used for all candidates?
A. Panel interview
B. Structured interview
C. Stress interview
D. Patterned interview
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Answer: D
Please refer to the following table for this question. A company advertised for 100 sales
representative positions. They received 650 applications and hired the 100 employees as
follows:
Answer: D
Explanation:
For several months, the management team has been struggling to come to grips with the
need for a formal succession plan. About 30 percent of the workforce will reach retirement
age within 10 years, and little has been done to prepare for the loss of knowledge in key
roles that will occur as employees begin to retire. The team has come to a consensus that
what is needed is a comprehensive plan, one that includes a mentor program for each of
the key positions, identification of key skills that will need to be replaced, a recruiting
strategy that attracts qualified candidates who are looking for longevity, and creating a
more open culture. Which of the following can be used to accomplish these goals?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A talent-management program is a comprehensive strategy to
workforce management. This approach includes planning for future needs, recruiting
qualified candidates, creating compensation and retention strategies, developing
employees, managing performance, and cultivating a positive culture. A succession plan
(C) is part of the workforce-planning element of a talent-management program. Knowledge
management (D) focuses on building systems that retain corporate knowledge accessible
as needed by the organization.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following Acts was the first federal legislation to regulate minimum wages?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Employee Records Management
The best way for HR to contribute to the development of an organization's strategic plan
using internal business operational factors is to do which of the following?
A. Interpret and apply internal operational information such as the relationships between
departments
B. Scan the legal and regulatory environment
C. Analyze industry changes
D. Stay informed of technological developments
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The ability to interpret and apply information related to internal
sources allows HR to respond to specific elements of an organization's strategic plan. For
example, understanding how an HRIS system can integrate with an accounting database is
one example of cross-functional strategic decisions. Scanning the legal and regulatory
environment (B), analyzing industry changes (C), and staying abreast of technological
advances (D) are all examples of external forces that impact a strategic plan.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Which of the following creates a variety of affirmative action obligations for employers with
federal government contracts?
Answer: D
Explanation: Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Before selecting an HRIS system, which of the following questions should be answered?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A needs analysis will provide answers to these questions, as
well as whether the HRIS will be integrated with payroll or other systems and what kinds of
reports will be produced. See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Drag and drop the traditional theories of motivation concepts according to the given
information.
Answer:
When a reduction in force occurs, the ADEA allows that protected employees may waive
their rights under some circumstances. For the waiver to be valid, the protected employee
must be allowed how long to review and consider the agreement?
A. 21 days
B. 45 days
C. 180 days
D. 7 days
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.ADEA waivers are valid during a reduction in force only if the
employee has 45 days to consider the agreement. Once employees sign a RIF-related
waiver, the ADEA requires that they have 7 days (D) to revoke it. Terminations that are not
part of a RIF require only 21 days (A) for consideration. An employee has 180 days (C) to
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The correct focus of a job analysis is the job itself, not the
incumbent in the job. Performance management focuses on the person in the job (D). An
analysis may use a number of sources in addition to task inventories and questionnaires
(C), including interviews, observation, and supervisory input. The required qualifications
should be related to the essential functions of the job to avoid complaints of discrimination
(B).
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.According to the EEOC, there are no circumstances where race
or color is a BFOQ. (B) is incorrect because Title VII specifically allows religious
organizations to give preference to members of the religion. (A) and (C) are incorrect
because Title VII specifically allows sex as a BFOQ if it is “reasonably necessary” for
business operations.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Gathering information about employee attitudes and opinions through surveys and focus
groups provides _______ employee levels of engagement.
A. Insight into
B. Intuition about
C. Instruction for
D. Individual measurement of
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The use of a variety of tools to gather employee feedback
enables employers to measure employee levels of engagement. The use of anonymous
surveys, topical focus groups, and employee interviews all provide insight into both
individual and organizational needs. Intuition is rarely a legally defensible methodology for
use in HR, and focus groups are not the best choice for measuring individual needs.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
A. That an I-9 form be completed for all new hires within 3 days of hire
B. That employer comply with IRCA in good faith
C. That I-9 forms be maintained for all employees
D. That copies of documents presented for employment eligibility be maintained
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.IRCA allows, but does not require, employers to make copies of
documents presented for employment eligibility. The employee section of the I-9 must be
completed by the end of the first day of employment (A). The employer section must be
completed and documents checked by the end of the third day of employment. Employers
who make a good faith effort to comply with IRCA (B) have an affirmative defense to
inadvertently hiring an unauthorized alien. IRCA requires that I-9 forms be maintained and
available for audit (C) by the USCIS for 3 years from date of hire or 1 year after the date of
termination.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
A. Safety
B. Growth
C. Self-actualization
D. Social
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory developed to explain
what motivates workers. The levels are physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-
Which of the following employment visas is used for temporary agricultural worker?
A. H-2B
B. H-2A
C. H-3
D. J-1
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Which of the following are employed by the organization, available on short notice, and
called to work only when they are needed?
A. On-call workers
B. Independent contractors
C. Intern
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to meet the
future needs?
A. Workforce goals
B. Job analysis and description
C. Reengineering
D. Corporate restructuring
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Check the possible communication delivery methods in the top-down communication and
bottom-up communication.
Answer:
To which of the following does the balanced scorecard concept not apply?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A diversity initiative is designed to increase diversity in an
organization. Diversity training educates employees about the cultural and social
differences in other cultures and is designed to increase the comfort level of employees (A
and D). A benefit of diversity is increased organizational creativity (C).
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategy
Which of the following tests is used to determine whether candidates are physically
capable of performing specific job duties?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Cultural competence considers the diversity efforts necessary to
achieve corporate aims such as reflecting the population and increasing the applicant
candidate pool. It measures the ability of a company to function effectively in the context of
these diverse beliefs. Conflict management training is one example of an HR behavior that
addresses an organization's cultural competency.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following describes the financial condition of the business at a specific point in
time?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Basic Budgeting and Accounting
Which of the following prohibits health insurance providers from discriminating on the basis
of health status and limited restrictions for preexisting conditions?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Organization Exit/Off-Boarding Processes
Based on an analysis of the industry and labor market trends, a VP of Human Resources
has determined that the best course of action for her company is to change from a narrow
to a broadband salary structure. The current structure has been in place for more than 15
years, and the VP is anticipating strong resistance to making the change. Which of the
following tools should the VP use to convince the executive team to make the change?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A business case lays out the desired result of an action or
program, presents alternative solutions, describes possible risks from both implementing
and not implementing the action, and defines the criteria used to measure success. ROI (B)
and CBA (D) may be included as part of the business case, and a SWOT analysis (C) may
have identified the need for a program or action.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
A. Financial results, competition results, key internal processes, and how people are hired
and trained to achieve organizational goals
B. Financial results, customer results, key internal processes, and how people are hired
and trained to achieve organizational goals
C. Value of stock results, customer results, key internal communications, and how people
are hired and trained to achieve organizational goals
D. Financial results, competitor results, key internal communication, and how people are
hired and trained to achieve organizational goals
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
The concept _________ reviews processes to eliminate waste, relies on teamwork, and
involves all members of the organization in meeting customer needs.
A. Time management
B. Balancing stakeholder
C. Information sharing
D. Total Quality Management
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Which of the following addresses illegal immigration into the United States?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Rachel has worked in accounting for six years. She has always been a steady performer,
but recently she has made several costly errors in her work. The accounting manager,
Rachel's boss, has talked to her several times, but no improvement has taken place. What
is the most appropriate action the manager should take?
A. Verbal warning
B. First written warning
C. Coaching
D. Decision-making day
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Assuming that the nature of the previous conversations with
Which of the following is the way in which the goods or service will be produced?
A. Cost control
B. Production layout
C. Inventory management
D. Quality management
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Which of the following is a practice of forecasting possible risks to the organization and
taking steps to mitigate their impact on operations?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategic Management
As an SPHR you know that it's important for the management to show recognition for
employees that have gone above and beyond what's expected of them. For rewards and
recognition to be useful, the employees must be interested in the recognition. What other
factor must be true?
Answer: C
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
A. H-1B
B. H-2A
C. H-2B
D. H-3
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Which of the following is similar to a general partnership but is formed for a limited time
frame?
A. General Partnership
B. Joint Venture
C. Limited Partnership
D. Corporation
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
A PEST analysis is used during the strategic planning process. What is PEST an acronym
for?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A PEST analysis is used to scan the political, economic, social,
and technological conditions in the external environment to determine what impact those
conditions will have on the success of the organization. See Chapter 3 for more
information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Environmental Scanning Concepts
Which of the following activities makes sure that the products or services are available at
times of peak customer demand?
A. Operations
B. Capacity
C. Production
D. Scheduling
Answer: D
Explanation: Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Answer: nominal
The nominal group technique is a structured meeting format designed to elicit participation
from all members of the group in order to arrive at the best possible solution to the problem
at hand. The process requires a facilitator and begins with a period of time for individuals to
think about and write down all their ideas about the issue. After that, each participant
presents one idea, which is recorded by the facilitator for later discussion. When all the
ideas have been presented, the process of prioritizing and consensus building takes place
until a resolution has been agreed on.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Which of the following organizational structures would be most effective for a company with
three distinct commodities for sale?
A. Functional structure
B. Flat-line structure
C. Divisional structure
D. Product-based structure
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A product-based structure is useful for an organization with
multiple well-defined product lines. The structure and subsequent job responsibilities are
divided by product line, rather than shared company-wide. The functional structure (A) is
the more traditional format where the organization is divided by departments such as
production and sales. A divisional structure (C) groups the company based on market or
industry, useful for decentralized divisions. A flat line structure (B) is a different term for a
seamless organization, one in which hierarchies do not exist.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
A. Decline
B. Abandonment
C. Startup
D. Growth
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and
SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III,
The US Body of Knowledge.
Objective: Organizations
Drag and drop the elements of proposal formats according to their descriptions.
Answer:
A. Establish credibility
B. Determine the leader
C. Align people
D. It's not about you
The motivation theory that suggests people are motivated by the reward they will receive
when they succeed and that they weigh the value of the expected reward against the effort
required to achieve it is known as what?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Vroom explains his theory with three terms: expectancy (the
individual's assessment of their ability to achieve the goal), instrumentality (whether the
individual believes they are capable of achieving the goal), and valence (whether the
anticipated goal is worth the effort required to achieve it). Adams' equity theory (D) states
that people are constantly comparing what they put into work to what they get from it.
McClelland's acquired needs theory (C) states that people are motivated by one of three
factors: achievement, affiliation, or power. McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y (B) explain
how managers relate to employees. Theory X managers are autocratic, believing that
employees do not want to take responsibility. Theory Y managers encourage employees to
participate in the decision-making process, believing that they respond to challenges. See
Chapters 2 and 5 for more information.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Motivation Concepts
Which of the following types of interview is structured to cover specific areas related to the
job requirements?
A. Stress interview
B. Patterned interview
C. Panel interview
D. Structured interview
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
Which of the following keeps data current by dropping the oldest data when new data is
added?
A. Moving average
B. Median
C. Mean
D. Mode
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
In a self-audit of your employee's I-9 forms, several errors were found. These errors
included incomplete sections, questionable documents accepted for verification, and over-
documentation. Of the following corrective and prevention strategies, which should you
recommend to your employer?
A. Enrollment in E-Verify
B. Requesting updated documents from affected employees
C. Training for employees
D. Recertification of all I-9 forms
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.E-Verify is a system-wide approach to helping employers
comply with post-hire documentation regulations. Recertifying (D) and requesting updated
documents (B) may be appropriate on a case-by-case basis but neither is a long-term
solution to the problem.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Pauline is a HR Professional for her organization and she's meeting with the sales
manager Jim. Jim wants to know if Randy, one of his sales people, is considered exempt or
not because he's doing outside sales. Pauline tells Jim that there are just two qualifiers for
Randy to be considered exempt in his role as an outside salesperson. The first is that
Randy's primary duty must be making sales. What is the other consideration?
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Six:
Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,
ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
After conducting a risk assessment, what can you do to protect the company against any
identified risks?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.As part of the risk assessment, inconsistent policies have been
identified (A), a plan for reducing risk has been developed (C), and management has
reviewed the plan for reducing risks (B). After the assessment is complete, the company
may decide to purchase insurance, self-insure, or mitigate the risk by making operational
changes.
Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals
Objective: Review Questions
A. EEO-1 reporting
B. The reporting of securities law violations
C. Employer practice(s) prohibiting harassment
D. Employee handbooks
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Employee handbooks are one tool used to compile written
policies that aid in compliance with various state and federal laws but are not specifically
required by any one law or standard.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Review Questions
You work as a Project Manager for ProTech Inc. Your new project involves designing a
new software program for constructing a building. To complete the assigned project you
need to follow the process of project management. Drag and drop the process of project
management concepts according to the given description.
Which of the following is NOT a basic business structure in the United States?
A. Partnership
B. Sole proprietorship
C. Limited liability company (LLC)
D. Incorporated
E. Corporation
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Organizations
Which of the following communicates the executive team's expectations for the way the
A. Reengineering
B. Corporate values statement
C. Mission statement
D. SWOT analysis
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Strategy
Which of the following are self-employed individuals who work on a project or fee basis with
multiple customers or clients?
A. Apprentice workers
B. On-call workers
C. Independent contractors
D. Trainees
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
A. Offshoring
B. Workforce expansion
C. Corporate restructuring
D. Workforce reduction
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
As a Senior HR Professional, you have been asked to also serve as the project manager
for a new HR project in human resources. As a project manager, you must always plan for
three constraints in every project. Which of the following is NOT one of the triple constraints
of project management?
A. Time
B. Cost
C. Scope
D. Human resources
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Human resources is one of the nine knowledge areas of project
management, but it is not a constraint in every project.Answer option A is incorrect. Time,
or schedule, is one of the three constraints of project management.
A. Startup
B. Decline
C. Maturity
D. Growth
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.When funding is low due to startup conditions, a decision must
be made regarding obtaining the talent necessary to do the work. Because organizations at
this stage do not typically have the funds to develop employees from within such as in the
growth and maturity stage (D, C), they often must choose which positions are critical to
day-to-day operation and outsource the rest.
Chapter: Business Management and Strategy
Objective: Review Questions
Topic 6, Volume F
The marketing director needs to hire a replacement for the marketing coordinator, who is
being promoted. The position has changed quite a bit since the last time the job was
advertised, and the director is looking to HR to assist in redefining the job requirements so
the recruiting process can begin. Which of the following would not be used in determining
the job requirements?
A. Candidate profile
B. Job specifications
C. Job description
D. Job competencies
Answer: A
Explanation:
Which of the following provides additional pay for work that is considered beyond the
minimum requirements of the job?
A. Pay differential
B. Base pay
C. Performance-based pay
D. Seniority-based compensation
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Wine Cellar Barrels recently became aware of several negative reviews online related to
the company's customer service. Management has tasked HR with designing a strategic
training initiative to address the interpersonal skills of the call center staff. HR's first step
should be which of the following?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The ADDIE model is a process that begins with an analysis of
the specific training needs. In this example, management may believe that the negative
reviews are the result of lack of training, but until a thorough needs analysis is
conducted—including the gathering of relevant data—it is not possible to create specific
training objectives that will result in the desired outcomes. While training design (A),
participant identification and scheduling (C, D) are components of training, they do not
launch the ADDIE model.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is one that encourages individual employee self esteem?
A. Intrinsic reward
B. Non-monetary compensation
C. Extrinsic reward
D. Monetary compensation
Answer: A
Explanation: Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Which of the following tests is designed to measure an individual's knowledge and ability to
apply skills in various areas, such as mathematics, typing, etc?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
In which of the following types of interview does the interviewer ask broad questions and
allow the candidate to guide the conversation?
A. Structured interview
B. Nondirective interview
C. Stress interview
D. Panel interview
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Staffing Programs
The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 allows for catch-up
contributions for employees age ________ and older.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.EGTRRA made a number of changes to existing contribution
limits, including the allowance for older workers to catch up on their retirement savings.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
ESOPs, ESPPs, and profit-sharing are all examples of which of the following?
A. Deferred compensation
B. Sales bonus options
C. Group incentives
D. Gainsharing strategies
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Group incentives share common elements including the reward
of individuals based on their collective efforts. Employee Stock Ownership Plans,
Employee Stock Purchase Plans, profit-sharing, and gainsharing (D) are all examples of
group incentives. Deferred compensation (A) refers to tax-deferred retirement plans, and a
sales bonus (B) is a type of commission paid to workers.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
A. Total reward
B. Intrinsic reward
C. Monetary compensation
D. Entitlement philosophy
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Your New Orleans plant has an opening for a controller, and four candidates have been
selected for interviews. Jack, the son of a plant employee, worked as an accountant for two
years to put himself through the Wharton Business School and recently earned his MBA.
Richard is a CPA with eight years of experience in a public accounting firm. Susan also has
a CPA and has worked as an accounting manager in the corporate office of a large
corporation in the same industry. Jane does not have a CPA or MBA but has worked as
controller of a smaller local competitor for eight years. After interviewing all four candidates,
the general manager told you that he wants to hire Jack because he shows promise. You
know from previous conversation with the GM that he also worked his way through college.
Which of the following biases could be influencing the GM's decision?
A. Knowledge-of-predictor
B. Halo effect
C. Similar-to-me
D. Gut feeling
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The GM could be influenced by his similar experience working
his way through college. Knowledge-of-predictor bias (A) is a factor when the interviewer
A. SWOT analysis
B. Performance management
C. Policies
D. Risk assessment
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Performance-Management Programs
Which of the following Acts requires employers to pay nonexempt employees who perform
regular duties before or after their regular hours or for working during their lunch period?
To determine the numbers and types of jobs necessary to realize business goals, HR must
assess the KSAs available within the organization during a staffing needs analysis. What
other factor is necessary to complete the assessment?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A staffing needs analysis begins with an assessment of the
KSAs needed to achieve future goals along with those that are currently available within
the organization. Although the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (A) are used to determine
what the KSAs are, it is possible for individuals with the same or similar KSAs to perform
different jobs, so (A) is not used in a needs analysis. KSAs available in the local labor
market (D) will be used to develop the recruiting strategy and plan but are not relevant to
the staffing needs analysis. The organization's core competencies (C) are factors that
make the organization unique but are not generally part of the staffing needs analysis.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
A. Job sharing
B. Internship program
C. Workforce expansion
D. Merger
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 does not require which of the following?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1992
required 20 percent withholding from some distributions. OBRA capped executive pay (B),
required that group health coverage be offered when children are placed for adoption
before the adoption is finalized (D), and required health plans to honor qualified medical
child-support orders (A).
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following includes payments made to employees that are associated with
wages and salaries?
A. Non-monetary compensation
B. Monetary compensation
C. Direct compensation
D. Extrinsic reward
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
A. Self study
B. Distance learning
C. Vestibule training
D. Demonstration
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
A. Asynchronous
B. The Delphi technique
C. Vestibule
D. Mobile learning
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Asynchronous training is self-paced training that typically occurs
using computer-based tools. Although timelines for completion may be preestablished
(such as specifying that all assignments must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m.
Sunday evening), students typically are able to set their own schedule for when they
engage in learning the material. Vestibule training is a form of OJT (C), mobile learning (D)
is a type of e-learning that occurs typically through mobile devices, and the Delphi
technique (B) is a decision making or forecasting activity that relies on a group of experts to
reach a consensus.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: C
Bottom of Form
Which of the following would be the best choice of a profit-sharing plan if the employer
wishes to improve organizational productivity through shared management and employee
efforts?
A. nuses
B. Gainsharing
C. Improshare
D. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A key component of a gainsharing plan is the shared
responsibility of outcomes between management and employees. Productivity is reviewed,
new performance is measured, and both work groups share in the gain. ESPPs, bonuses
and improshare (D, A, C) all could be used, but are not specifically grown around the
concept of shared responsibility between management and employees.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
A. Someone who takes a personal interest in an individual's career and who guides and
sponsors the individual
B. Someone whose goal is to develop an employee in a particular area
C. Someone who monitors an employee's performance in doing their job
D. Someone who provides training in areas of interest to an employee
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A mentor is someone who takes a personal interest in an
employee's career and who guides and sponsors them. Although a supervisor may be a
mentor, mentors are usually individuals who are outside the chain of command and may
even be from outside the organization. The functions in C, B, and D are not generally
performed by mentors.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Supervisory training programs concentrate on topics related to
interactions with employees, such as conflict-resolution skills. Budgeting skills (B) and
internal control training (D) are included in management development programs. Rotation
through various divisions (A) is part of a leadership development program.
A. Technical training
B. Diversity initiative
C. Calling meetings
D. Diversity training
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Unique Employee Needs
Which of the following is a process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing or changing
business needs?
A. Outplacement
B. Involuntary exit
C. Voluntary exit
D. Plant closing
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.An involuntary exit is a process that occurs due to mergers,
outsourcing or changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such
as performance problems, etc.Answer option D is incorrect. Plant closing is an act of
An organization has an employment position available in their fitness center. The position is
to be the female locker attendant. As part of the employment posting, the HR has made it a
requirement that the person eligible for the job must be a female. Management believes
that this requirement may be in violation to the Civil Rights Act, Title VII. Is this a violation
of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII?
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
In the evaluation phase, the ___________ evaluation method focuses on how well the
training resulted in learning new skills and competencies.
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The learning evaluation method focuses on how well the training
resulted in learning new skills. The reaction evaluation method (D) focuses on participant
reactions. The behavior evaluation method (B) measures on-the-job behavior changes as a
result of training, and the results evaluation method (A) measures organizational results. Of
the four methods, the results evaluation method is considered the most valuable for the
organization.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
John's organization has collected several applications for an employment position within
his organization. The data collected from these applications must be kept secure and
private, especially in light of the Privacy Act of what year?
A. 2007
B. 1964
C. 1968
D. 1974
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The Privacy Act of 1974 requires organizations to keep EEO-
related matters private. This law is designed to protect the information the candidate has
given to the organization as part of the application for the employment position.Answer
options C, B, and A are incorrect. These are not valid years from the Privacy Act of 1974.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
For which of the following is “the highest standards of care and professionals in a legal
context” a key component?
A. Breach of contract
B. Code of conduct
C. Fiduciary responsibility
D. Conflict of interest
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Fiduciary responsibility implies a greater legal obligation to act
with great care and responsibility on behalf of a company. Acting in one's own self-interest,
conflicting duties, and profiting from a role are all examples of how HR could breach this
obligation. Code of conduct, breach of contract and conflict of interest are certainly
components of HR standards, but in terms of ranking, they fall below the concept of
fiduciary responsibility.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
You are completing a Form I-9 with a newly hired employee. Which one of the following
documents is not allowed as a proof of identity and employment eligibility for the newly
hired employee?
A. Driver's license
B. Expired US passport
C. Unexpired reentry permit
D. Certificate of naturalization
Which of the following acts requires federal contractors or subcontractors with contracts of
$25,000 or more to list all nonsenior management job openings with state employment
agencies?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.State employment agencies are required under VEVRAA to give
priority to Vietnam-era veterans when providing referrals to job openings. The act further
requires that contractors and subcontractors meeting certain criteria list all job openings
with these same state agencies. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination
against veterans of the US armed services, and the executive orders prohibit discrimination
in employment by federal contractors, sub-contractors and the government.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
In which of the following situations was the HR manager incorrect in their handling of FMLA
medical certification?
A. The employer disagreed with the certification by the employee's doctor, so it paid to
have the employee seen by a second provider.
B. The employee was given 5 calendar days to provide medical certification.
C. The employer had its own medical certification that it used, but it contained information
identical to the DOL's WH-380 form.
D. None of the above options were incorrect.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Under the FMLA, employees must be given at least 15 calendar
days to obtain appropriate medical certification. Under certain conditions, employers may
request a secondary exam, and employers are allowed to use their medical certification
form provided it conforms to the requirements of the DOL's form WH-380.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
Calculate the training cost per employee using the following data: $2,000 for the training
design and facilitator; $2,500 for the facility; 20 full-time employees (40 hours per week)
and 10 part-time employees (20 hours per week).
A. $300
B. $200
C. $180
D. $150
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Training cost per employee is calculated by dividing the total of
all associated training costs by the number of full-time equivalent employees. The proper
calculation is $4,500 divided by 25 full-time equivalent employees.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
A. All selection tools must be job related and valid predictors of future success.
B. Any selection tool that results in discrimination based on a protected class characteristic
is unlawful.
C. Internet recruiting efforts are excluded from applicant-tracking requirements.
D. Application forms must be the same for all employment classifications within the
organization.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Any tool used to select employees must be job related and a
valid predictor of success on the job. If a selection tool results in discrimination against an
individual who is a member of a protected class (B), the criteria used must be shown to be
job related and valid. For example, a bona fide occupational qualification occurs when
religion, sex, or national origin is “reasonably necessary to the normal operation” of the
business.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Drag and drop the steps of negligent hiring in the proper sequence.
Answer:
Which of the following moves an entire work process out of the organization to be handled
by a company specializing in the work process?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following areas ensures that individuals with the required knowledge, skills,
and abilities are available when needed to accomplish organization goals?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Metrics: Measuring Results
Which of the following Acts provides protection to workers in the event of mass layoffs or
plant closings?
A. WARN
B. BLBA
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The WARN Act was passed by Congress to provide protection
to workers in the event of mass layoffs or plant closings. According to the act, 60 days
advance notice is given to either the individual worker or their union representatives. The
purpose of providing time to workers is to obtain new employment or training before the
loss of their jobs. This act is administered by the department of labor, and enforced through
the federal court. Answer option B is incorrect. The Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA) is a law
that provides benefits to coal miners who have been disabled by pneumoconiosis as a
result of their work in the mines. Benefits are also paid to surviving dependents if the miner
dies from the disease. Answer option D is incorrect. OSHA stands for Occupational Safety
and Health Administration. OSHA is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It
was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health
Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970. Its mission is to
prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and occupational fatality by issuing and enforcing
standards for workplace safety and health. The agency is headed by a Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Labor. OSHA issues guidelines and regulations for the safe use of a
computer. Answer option C is incorrect. Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) is a
law that provides rules for compensation benefits to federal employees for work-related
injuries or illnesses. FECA contains legal provision for giving compensation to their
surviving dependents if a work-related injury or illness results in the employee's death.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Organization Exit/Off-Boarding Processes
Which of the following includes any costs the organization incurs for the benefit of
employees, such as all forms of cash compensation?
A. Non-monetary compensation
B. Intrinsic reward
C. Extrinsic reward
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Tax withholding is to the _______________ stage of the employment life cycle as COBRA
benefits are to the ____________ stage of the employment life cycle.
A. Pre-, mid-
B. Beginning, middle
C. Beginning, ending
D. Pre-, post
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The life cycle of all compensation-related employment records is
marked by specific data collection and documentation. Understanding what documents are
required at each stage will allow HR to properly plan for security, updates, retention, and
destruction. The other answers are not reflected in the organizational life cycle.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
A. Outsourcing
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
On November 13, 2000 CFR Part 60-2 was revised to address affirmative action to make
the rules more accessible and easier to implement. Which of the following statements is not
part of this significant update to the Affirmative Action program in CFR Part 60-2?
A. Reaffirmed that affirmative action isn't to establish quotes, but to create goals
B. Workforce analysis was replaced with a one-page organizational profile
C. Granted employers with fewer than 100 employees, permission to prepare a job group
analysis that uses EEO-1 categories as job groups
D. Reduced the number of additional required elements of the written Affirmative Action
Plan from 10 to 4
Answer: C
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The EEO-1 report requires employers to group jobs into job
categories based on average skill level, knowledge, and responsibility. Exempt workers are
defined by professional, executive, and administrative exemption criteria (C), and these are
not examples of the protected class groups under federal law (A).
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Summary plan descriptions are required only for group health
plans, and not for defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, or FSAs.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
A. Interval
B. Shift
C. Shift premium
D. Base pay
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
People Logistics recently began scheduling offsite meetings for its management team to
review the operational realities of implementing elements of the strategic plan. This is an
example of which of the following development activities?
A. Peer-to-peer coaching
B. Assigning a mentor
C. Hiring an executive coach
D. Strategic planning
Answer: A
Explanation:
A ___________ learning curve begins slowly, with smaller learning increments, but
increases in pace and with larger increments as learning continues.
A. Negatively accelerating
B. S-shaped
C. Plateau
D. Positively accelerating
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The positively accelerating learning curve begins with smaller
increments but increases in pace and size as learning continues. The negatively
accelerating curve (A) begins with larger increments that decrease as learning continues.
The S-shaped learning curve (B) is a combination of the positively and negatively
accelerating learning curves, whereas a plateau (C) occurs when no learning seems to
take place.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following Acts requires employers to provide 60 days' notice when 500
employees or 33 percent of the workforce are laid off?
A. WARN act
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Organization Exit/Off-Boarding Processes
James is a highly productive salesperson who is required to share a team bonus with his
co-workers if certain sales goals are met each month. He is frustrated with this
compensation structure, because he believes his teammates do not contribute as much as
he does to the final numbers. This is an example of what?
A. Pay disparity
B. Procedural justice
C. Distributive justice
D. Wage inequity
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Distributive justice is a concept that speaks to perceived
inequity in the distribution of outcomes. It is the result of the belief that an employee puts
more into the system than they receive as an outcome when compared to the efforts of
other organizational members. Procedural justice (B) is a perception of inequity in the
procedures used to design or apply the pay structure. Wage inequity and pay disparity (A,
D) are essentially the same thing, occurring when employees are either paid outside of
current external position market value or internally based on compensable factors shared
between jobs.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is the process used traditionally to determine the value of jobs
relative to each other within the organization?
A. Ranking method
B. Job evaluation
C. Classification method
D. Job sharing
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
An entitlement culture is appropriate for a business that needs what type of workforce?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.An entitlement culture rewards longevity in the job. If increased
productivity is a function of time on the job, an entitlement culture will encourage
employees to stay with the company. Line of sight (A) occurs when employees know that
their performance impacts their pay. A highly competitive workforce (D) is more likely to
exist in a pay-for-performance culture. A workforce with a highly desired skill set (C) would
be better served by a pay-for-performance culture.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Which of the following collects data from employers throughout the United States in order
to put this information on its website?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following refers to the ability of a team to share and build upon their ideas
without holding anything back?
A. Mental model
B. Team learning
C. Systems thinking
D. Personal mastery
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
A. 65
B. There is no age limit in the act
C. 75
D. 70
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Lisa is developing a new training course for company using the ADDIE approach for the
seminar. Her assistant, Hans, asks what ADDIE means. Which of the following is the
correct definition of ADDIE?
Which of the following definitions is correct for the term job bidding?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Job bidding allows internal candidates to express interest in a
job prior to it becoming available. It gives employees the opportunity to develop the skills
necessary to successful compete for the position once it becomes available. A job posting
is an internal job announcement (A); RFP's (B) are typically used to allow outside vendors
to bid on project work and the ranking of job applicants is a function of the selection
process used to identify the most qualified individual for the job.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
What is the maximum working hours per week for nonexempt employees as defined in The
A. 48
B. 40
C. 56
D. 60
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Which of the following processes requires job evaluators to compare the value of jobs to
one another?
Job evaluation
Classification method
Job sharing
Ranking method
Answer: D
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Any inquiries into an applicant's citizen status must be specific
to the requirements of the job. In this example, it is not necessary for the employer to know
specifically whether the applicant is a U.S. citizen, but rather, whether the applicant is
authorized to work in the United States.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
Molly is the Director of HR at a large multinational corporation. She extended the open
enrollment period for benefits in order to accommodate her spouse, who needed a different
plan. This is an example of what?
A. Unethical conduct
B. Breach of fiduciary responsibility
C. Exercising a choice-of-law clause
D. Breaking the law
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.As the Director of HR, Molly is in a position of control over the
administration of HR policies, procedures, and rules. As such, she is held to a high
standard of responsibility that goes beyond unethical conduct (A). Fiduciary responsibility
requires that the HR professional act without regard for their own self interests. A choice of
law clause (C) applies in the administration of expatriate agreement, and extending pen
enrollment is not necessarily illegal (D).
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
e FLSA defined the maximum work week for nonexempt employees as _______ hours per
week.
A. 36
B. 48
C. 40
D. 32
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
Task identity, task significance, and feedback are all examples of what?
A. Job enlargement
B. Job enrichment
C. Performance appraisal criteria
D. Key productivity indicators
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Job design is made up of several factors related to how the work
gets done, broken into two categories: job enrichment and job enlargement (A). Task
identity, task significance and feedback are examples of job-enrichment activities that can
significantly influence job satisfaction through design. KPI's (D, C) can be used as
A. Vestibule
B. Case study
C. Facilitation
D. Socratic seminar
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A case study allows participants to review real-world scenarios
related to their topic of study. Practical application and transfer of training are typically more
successful when participants can see how it's done in the work environment. Vestibule
training (A) occurs “on the job,” facilitation (C) uses an individual to create an interactive
training experience, and a Socratic seminar (D) is a type of training that welcomes
opposing viewpoints in a problem-solving setting.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following types of evaluations are designed to identify what the participants
want, know, and need?
A. Reaction summaries
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Formative evaluations are designed to gather information prior
to the design of training to measure the needs of the participants. This allows the designer
to include content and exercises that will aid in the participant transfer of the training to the
job. Summative evaluations (A, C) are used after the training has taken place, and often
include a measure of participant reactions and trainer evaluations (B).
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 identifies an individual with a disability, as a
person who has one or more of the following characteristics except for which one?
A. Is regarded as having such impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities
B. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities
C. Has a record of such impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
D. Is believed by employers that an individual having a physical or mental impairment
substantially limits one or more major employment activities
Answer: D
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Strategic recruitment activities include all of the following except which one?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Strategic staffing and recruitment involves taking a picture of the
company at a 30,000-foot level, rather than from an operational perspective. Identifying
recruitment sources such as employee referrals may prove to be valuable once the
strategies have been defined. Conducting a labor market analysis allows HR to identify the
availability of a qualified workforce for use in the achievement of strategic objectives. Total
rewards packages include conducting wage surveys and utilization reviews to understand
compensation and benefits trends, designed to compete with internal and external market
conditions. Defining the employer brand not only creates an employer identity, but helps to
differentiate a company from their competition.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
A. Scatter diagram
B. Ishikawa diagram
C. Pareto diagram
D. Cause and effect diagram
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
An Affirmative Action Plan must be completed by employers that meet which criteria?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Government contractors with 50 or more employees and
contracts of $50,000 or more each year must complete Affirmative Action Plans. (C) was
the original compliance requirement for Title VII and was changed to 15 employees by the
EEOA of 1972. The criteria in (D) apply to employers that must comply with the
Rehabilitation Act and federal contractors that must take affirmative action for all terms and
conditions of employment based on executive orders. (A) is not a compliance requirement.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
The Older Worker Benefit Protection Act requires that an employee age 40 or older who is
asked to waive their rights under the act must be given what?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Workers age 40 or older who are asked to sign a waiver of their
rights must be given 21 days to consider the agreement before signing it, unless they are
part of a group termination or layoff. In that case, they must be given 45 days to sign the
agreement (B). In both instances, they may revoke the agreement within 7 days (D). The
OWBPA does not require 60 days to consider the agreement (C).
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
You are a HR Professional for your organization and you're educating your staff on the
Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Which one of the following statements about the Pregnancy
Discrimination Act is not true?
A. If an employer provides any benefits to workers on leave, the employer must provide the
same benefits for those on leave for pregnancy-related conditions.
B. An employer is allowed to refuse to hire a pregnant woman because of the imminent
time frame of the needed leave to deliver and care for the child.
C. Employers must provide the same level of health benefits for spouses of male
employees as they do for spouses of female employees.
D. Pregnancy related benefits cannot be limited to married employees.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
Which of the following educates employees about the cultural and social differences in
other cultures?
A. Diversity initiative
B. Technical training
C. Diversity training
D. Calling meetings
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Unique Employee Needs
Which of the following focuses on building systems that retain corporate knowledge
accessible as needed by the organization?
A. Knowledge management
B. Program management
C. Succession plan
D. Talent management
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
A. Field review
B. Critical incident
C. Forced ranking
D. Behaviorally anchored rating system
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.The BARS system is used most effectively in organizations
when a number of jobs have similar duties. Because it is expensive and time-consuming to
implement, an organization must have enough resources available to develop the program.
Critical-incident appraisal tools (B) are most effectively used by managers who have daily
interaction with subordinates. Forced ranking (C) is best for use in organizations with fewer
than 100 employees because it becomes unwieldy for large groups. Field reviews (A) are
conducted by someone other than a direct supervisor.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
A. IRCA
B. Rehabilitation Act
C. VEVRAA
D. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Act
Answer: A
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification
Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.
Electronic storage of records must include specific controls to ensure which of the
following?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Although the decision to store employment records online is
influenced by all of these factors, the ability to limit access is a strong element of labor law
and privacy compliance.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Review Questions
A company that wants to reduce the cost of its unemployment insurance should do which
of the following?
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,B,C
Explanation:
Answer options C, B, and A are correct.C and B are both obviously correct. Although A
may seem counterintuitive to some because many employers are hesitant to terminate
employees for policy violations, those terminated for cause generally aren't eligible for
unemployment insurance. Because retaining an employee who is not contributing to the
organization is a poor business decision, maintaining adequate records to demonstrate the
reasons for termination provides the tools to fight claims that are unjustified.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following allows employees to work at home and connect to the office
electronically?
A. Telecommuting
B. Internship
C. Job sharing
D. Part time work
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following is not an example of the comparative style of performance review?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Comparing employee performance is a non-narrative style of
performance review involving comparing one employee to another in the same job
category.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
As an HR Professional you must be familiar with several different lawsuits and their affect
on human resource practices today. What did the legal case, the United Steelworkers of
America versus Weber regard?
A. The United States Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did bar
employers from favoring women and minorities.
B. The United States Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not bar
employers from favoring women and minorities.
C. The United States Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did bar
employers from using racial criteria as a method to determine workplace advancement.
D. The United States Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did bar
employers from favoring minorities, but could do gender based favor.
Answer: B
Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four:
Workforce Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR
Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.
A. Vision insurance
B. Qualified pension plan
C. Sick pay
D. Medicare
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Medicare is a type of involuntary benefit introduced by the
Social Security Act of 1935. Along with retirement (Social Security), these mandated
benefits are subsidized by a tax on both the employer and the employee called FICA
(Federal Insurance Contribution Act). Vision, retirement and sick pay (A, B, C) are all
examples of voluntary benefits that employers may choose to offer their employees.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Roberta's company routinely tests all employees for illegal drug usage. Juan is refusing to
participate in the drug test because he is an employee with a physical impairment that
substantially limits his major life activities. Juan insists that the drug testing is a violation of
the ADA's restrictions on medical examinations. Does the ADA prohibit illegal drug testing?
A. Yes. All medical examinations are prohibited from employees covered by the ADA.
B. No. The ADA does restrict medical examinations related to the disability, but not for
tests for illegal drugs.
C. No. The ADA does not restrict medical examinations as part of the law.
D. Yes. All medical examinations are prohibited from employees that an employer has
deemed a participant of the ADA program.
The most common reason for the failure of organizational-change initiatives is which of the
following?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The most common reason for the failure of change initiatives is
that people were not prepared for the change and given time to assimilate the reasons for
the change. Failing to communicate a change in strategic direction (C) as the basis for
organization changes in and of itself will not lead to failure of a change initiative. Leaders
who do not support change (D) do have an influence on employees, but that factor alone is
not the most common reason for failure. The absence of a training system (A) may
negatively impact the change process, but it is not the most common reason for failure.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
A. Attitude assessment
B. Formative evaluation
C. Summative evaluation
D. Knowledge banking
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Formative evaluation is a technique used prior to the
commencement and during the design phase of training. It is used to gather data that will
be used in training to ensure that the objectives are met and that the training meets the
needs of the workgroup. This is different from summative evaluation (C), which occurs after
the training has taken place. Knowledge banking (D) and an attitude assessment (A) are
not used in the evaluation of training.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Benefits
A. An exciting assignment
B. A great supervisor
C. The satisfaction of a job well done
D. Recognition of accomplishments
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Intrinsic rewards are those in which esteem is achieved from
within oneself. D, B, and A are examples of extrinsic rewards that come from external
sources.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
The best quality tool to use for gathering information about a specific problem is which of
the following?
A. A stratification chart
B. An Ishikawa diagram
C. A Pareto chart
D. A histogram
Answer: B
Explanation:
Which of the following is additional pay for dangerous or risky working conditions?
A. Reporting pay
B. Call-back pay
C. Hazard pay
D. Base pay
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
A. Continuous-feedback program
B. Management by objectives (MBO)
C. Skills-based performance assessment
Answer: B
Explanation: Answer option B is correct.The first three choices are all employee growth
and assessment programs. Behavioral-based performance assessment (D) focuses on
behaviors, whereas skills-based performance assessment (C) focuses on skills. MBO
programs measure the successful attainment of objectives. The continuous-feedback
program (A) is a performance management program.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
A. Needs assessment
B. Making succession plan
C. SWOT analysis
D. Talent management program
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Talent Management
Which of the following ensures that employees working in different locations are paid at
rates competitive in the labor market for specific jobs and locations?
A. Geographic pay
B. Base pay
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Which of the following moves an entire function out of the organization to be handled by a
company specializing in the function?
A. Corporate restructuring
B. Outsourcing
C. Payrolling
D. Professional employer organization (PEO)
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
Which of the following is designed to give students opportunities to gain experience in their
chosen fields prior to graduation?
A. Job sharing
B. Outsourcing
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Strategic Workforce Planning
A Total Rewards philosophy can help achieve an organization's strategic goals by doing
which of the following?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.A Total Rewards philosophy helps determine what kind of
employees will be attracted to the organization. Developing a philosophy to target
employees with the KSAs needed by the organization can help advance the organization's
mission. The pecking order for jobs (D) is based on the value of those jobs to the
organization. The philosophy defines leading the competition as a strategy; positioning the
company to do so (C) is a result of creating the compensation structure. An entitlement
culture is maintained (B) by continuing to pay employees for time on the job instead of for
performance.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply.
Answer: A,B,D
Explanation:
Answer options D, A, and B are correct.According to guidance published by the EEOC,
caregivers are not a protected class, but there are circumstances in which disparate
treatment becomes unlawful based on stereotyping prohibited by Title VII, association with
disabled individuals prohibited by the ADA, or violations of FMLA caregiving requirements.
See Chapter 4 for more information.
Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
A. Programmed instruction
B. Systems thinking
C. Massed practice
D. An assessment center
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Systems thinking refer to the characteristic of a learning
organization that uses a variety of information-gathering techniques to acquire knowledge
about new technology, determine its value, and convert this knowledge into new and
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A lack of job reinforcement can adversely affect transfer of
training. Other adverse impacts are the result of interference from the immediate work
environment and a nonsupportive organizational climate. The trainer's expertise (A) could
affect how well trainees learn information but does not specifically affect transfer of training.
The subject of the training (C) affects how receptive trainees are to the information but not
necessarily how the information transfers to the job.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Performance feedback bias such as the halo/horn effect,
leniency, and central tendency can (but don't always) exist whenever managers are asked
to make a discriminatory judgment, including in rating performance and selecting new
hires. Note that not all discrimination is unlawful; it is in fact necessary to make
distinguishing decisions on the job. Discrimination becomes unlawful when the
performance is not rated according to neutral, job-related standards.
Chapter: Human Resource Development
Objective: Review Questions
Topic 7, Volume G
Which of the following standards is the most frequently cited type of OSHA violation?
A. Construction
B. Maritime
C. Whistle-blower
D. Agriculture
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The construction and general industry standards are the most
frequently violated—and therefore the most frequently cited—of the four major areas for
which OSH provides standards. These areas include general industry, construction,
maritime (B), and agriculture (D). Whistle-blower protection (C) is granted under the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
A. Outplacement counseling
B. Substance abuse
C. Gambling problems
D. Legal assistance
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.EAPs provide counseling for a variety of employee needs,
including financial and legal counseling (D), substance abuse (B), and help to quit smoking.
Outplacement counseling (A) is often, but not always, included in an EAP. The plans
typically do not cover gambling.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Job fulfillment from working with a talented peer group is an example of which of the
following types of compensation?
A. Monetary
B. Intrinsic
C. Extrinsic
D. Total rewards
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Intrinsic rewards are driven by internal versus external factors.
Which of the following Acts establishes mandatory safety and health standards for mine
operators and monitors operations throughout the United States?
A. FLS act
B. SBREF act
C. OSH act
D. MSH act
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Which of the following requires that employees act in the best interest of the employer?
A. Duty of diligence
B. Duty of obedience
C. Due process
D. Duty of loyalty
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Drag and drop the types of picketing beside their corresponding descriptions.
Answer:
A. Risk acceptance
B. Risk avoidance
C. Risk transfer
D. Risk mitigation
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
A union philosophy statement may have all of the following except which?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.A company cannot threaten employees or make promises to
them contingent on the workforce remaining union free. A philosophy statement should be
geared toward communicating the company's desire to work directly with the employees in
discussions about working conditions or benefits. If a union does attempt to organize, it is
important for the employer to work directly with outside council to determine the strategic
benefits of discussing the desire to remain union free and the disadvantages/limitations of
unions as employee representatives.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Millie is an injured worker who has been back to work on modified duty for approximately
13 months. Which of the following return-to-work strategies would best help Millie get back
to full duty?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.An IME will allow Millie to be evaluated by an impartial third
party. Modified duty is a short-term solution to be used when an injured worker is able to
return to work but not to full duty (D). A reasonable accommodation strategy (B) may
become necessary, but only after Millie's diagnosis and treatment plan is clearly
understood. Terminating her employment (C) prior to identifying the extent of her
qualifications and limitations is not advisable.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following Acts requires employers to record health and safety incidents that
occur each year and to document steps they take to comply with regulations?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Raising awareness about safety and health is the responsibility
of employers covered by all standards. Providing safety and health information in a
language all employees can understand is part of the Diverse Workforce Limited
Proficiency Outreach strategy. It is not specifically required by its own standard, nor is it an
element of creating a model program (B) or enrolling in a VPP. Employers are however
required to effectively communicate the safety rules to all employees.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Under OSHA regulations, employers do not have the right to do which of the following?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A Notice of Contest must be filed within 15 days of the citation.
The OSH Act requires employers to allow the CSHO to inspect the workplace (D).
Employers may request variances until repairs are made (A) or for processes that provide
equal or greater safety for workers. Employers may consult with OSHA to identify possible
hazards without fear of a citation or penalty (B); but once a consultant becomes involved,
the employer must abate any violations, or the consultant will refer the violation to an
OSHA inspector.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Salting occurs when a union hires an individual experienced at
organizing tactics to apply for a job with a company that has been targeted for an
organizing campaign (B). Options C, D, and A are tactics used by unions during organizing
campaigns.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following provides an informal setting for a group of employees to meet with
their manager to learn more about the company?
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Answer: contributory
The doctrine of contributory negligence was used to mitigate the employer's responsibility if
the worker's actions contributed in any way to the injury.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Answer: A
Explanation: Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Mark the step that does NOT come under risk management.
Answer:
A. Employers may not deny a nonunion worker's request for representation during an
investigatory hearing.
B. Union employees have the right to have a union representative present at an
investigatory interview.
C. Employees have the right to consult with an attorney post-discipline.
D. Employers have the right to deny the presence of a co-worker in an investigatory
interview.
Answer: B
Explanation: Answer option B is correct.Weingarten rights were upheld by the NLRB,
establishing that union workers have the right to representation in any meeting that may
amount to an investigatory interview that could lead to disciplinary action. These rights do
not currently apply to nonunion workers (A). Any employee has the right to consult with an
attorney post-discipline, and employers do not have the right to deny representation to
union workers (D, A) in a meeting that may result in discipline.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The closed shop clause is illegal except in the construction
industry. The closed shop clause requires that all new hires be members of the union
before they are hired.Answer option C is incorrect. The agency shop clause specifies that
all employees must either join the union or pay union dues if they choose not to join the
union.Answer option A is incorrect. The union shop clause requires that all employees join
the union within a grace period specified by the contract.Answer option D is incorrect.
There is no such term as common shop clause.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
Which of the following has established standards for personal protective equipment (PPE)?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Answer:
The union rep has requested copies of all the incident reports filed during the last year. You
are required to do what?
A. Furnish copies within 15 calendar days but only of the -Tell Us About the Case " section
B. Furnish the copies by the end of the next business day
C. Furnish copies of the -Tell Us About the Case " section within 7 calendar days
D. Furnish the copies by the end of the day
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The employee representative is entitled to receive copies of
incident reports with the identifying information omitted. Employers have 7 calendar days to
provide the information to an employee representative. Copies of the OSHA form 300 log
must be provided by the end of the following business day (B) when requested by
employees or their representatives. Options A and B do not apply to OSHA requirements.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
A. An employee handbook
B. An SOP
C. A policy manual
D. A troubleshooting manual
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Collecting large amounts of data into one coherent document
can be done through the use of an employee handbook that references policies (A),
standard operating procedures (B), or reference guides. A troubleshooting manual (D) best
represents the type of document designed for short-term reference of a specific nature.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The company may make truthful statements about a unionized
environment during an organizing campaign, such as pointing out that employees will have
to pay dues to the union. Although nonunion employees are free to talk about their reasons
for not wanting a union (C), it is an unfair labor practice for the employer to encourage them
According to the OSHA inspection priorities, which type of workplace hazard receives first
priority for an inspection?
A. Imminent danger
B. Programmed high-hazard inspections
C. Catastrophes and fatal accidents
D. Employee complaints
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.OSHA inspections that will prevent injury or illness receive first
priority. An imminent danger is one that has a reasonable certainty of death or serious
injury occurring before normal enforcement procedures can occur. Catastrophes and fatal
accidents (C) are given second priority. Programmed, high-hazard inspections (B) receive
fourth priority, and employee complaints (D) have third. See Chapter 8 for more
information.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
“When the workplace is permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult that
is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim's employment and
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Harris v. Forklift Systems Inc. was referenced in the case of
same-sex harassment brought to the Supreme Court in Oncale v. Sundowner (D). Oncale
helped determine that gender is of little consequence when harassment meets the statutory
requirements defined in Harris. Faragher v. City of Boca Raton (B) and Burlington
Industries v. Ellerth (C) were also important cases aiding in interpreting the concept of
sexual harassment in the workplace.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following standards establishes permissible noise levels for the workplace?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
If an employee files a complaint with OSHA, under which of the following would they be
protected?
A. Whistle-blower protection
B. General-duty clause
C. Physical environmental hazard
D. Emergency action
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Whistleblower standards protect an employee's right to file a
complaint to OSHA about a workplace safety or health hazard. It is considered a basic
employee right granted under the OSH act in 1970. Emergency action (D) is a type of plan
required by OSHA, and the general duty clause (B) states that employers have a general
duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following Acts establishes mandatory safety and health standards for mine
operators and monitors operations throughout the United States?
A. OSH act
B. MSH act
C. FLS act
D. SBREF act
Answer: B
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act as the National Labor Relations Board is to which of the following?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The NLRB was established by the NLRA to enforce provisions
of the act related to conducting elections and preventing unfair labor practices. The LMRA,
LMRDA and the Norris-La Guardia Act (D, C, A) are all examples of legislation influencing
the application of unions in the workplace.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Unusual activity related to employee meetings (C), complaints
against supervisors, the sudden use of union terms (B), and an increased interest in
employee benefits (A) are all signs of potential union activity.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following groups have not been identified for protection under the Americans
with Disabilities Act as it relates to substance abuse?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Current users of illegal drugs are specifically excluded from
protection under the ADA. The ADA, however, does not require that an employer retain any
employee whose substance abuse—regardless of the status or type of
substance—represents a serious safety risk to themselves or others. Recovering addicts
are protected by the ADA. And, depending on certain conditions, users of legal substances
such as alcohol or prescription drugs may be protected by the ADA.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
A. Non-monetary compensation
B. Direct compensation
C. Indirect compensation
D. Monetary compensation
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Total Rewards Defined
A. Risk acceptance
B. Risk transfer
C. Risk avoidance
D. Risk mitigation
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.A company cannot threaten employees or make promises to
them contingent on the workforce remaining union free. A philosophy statement should be
geared toward communicating the company's desire to work directly with the employees in
discussions about working conditions or benefits. If a union does attempt to organize, it is
important for the employer to work directly with outside council to determine the strategic
benefits of discussing the desire to remain union free and the disadvantages/limitations of
unions as employee representatives.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is used to determine current market trends and competition for
different skills and knowledge and to assist the employer in setting pay levels?
A. Base pay
B. Job evaluation
C. Salary survey
D. Gross pay
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.A salary survey is used to determine current market trends and
competition for different skills and knowledge and to assist the employer in setting pay
Which of the following requires employees to act within the authority granted by the
employer?
A. Duty of diligence
B. Due process
C. Duty of loyalty
D. Duty of obedience
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following Acts provides workers compensation benefits for maritime workers
whose injuries occur on the navigable waters of the United States or on piers, docks, or
terminals?
Answer: C
Explanation: Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act requires employers to do which of the following?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.FICA requires employers to pay Social Security and Medicare
for employees and to withhold an equal amount from employee paychecks. There is no
federal law requiring employers to provide pension plans (B) and (C). No federal law
requires employers to provide health insurance (A).
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Review Questions
Drag and drop the OSHA inspection hazards according to their priorities.
Answer:
Answer: C
Which of the following Acts encourages the states to take the lead in developing and
enforcing safety and health programs for businesses within their jurisdictions?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
The 16-year-old son of one of your friends is looking for a summer job and has been
offered a job at a coal mine. Which of the following makes this illegal?
An employee has resigned. During the exit interview, the employee tells HR that the reason
for the resignation is that for the last 3 months the supervisor has been hostile, refused to
provide instructions on work assignments, given the employee all the most unpleasant
tasks in the department, and verbally reprimanded the employee in front of co-workers and
customers. The employee may have a cause of legal action based on which of the
following?
A. Fraudulent misrepresentation
B. The employer's duty of good faith and fair dealing
C. Constructive discharge
D. Promissory estoppel
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.Constructive discharge occurs when the employer forces an
employee to resign by creating a work environment that is so unpleasant a reasonable
person would resign. The duty of good faith and fair dealing (B) applies to contracts,
requiring both parties to act in a fair and honest manner with each other to ensure that
benefits of the contract are realized. Promissory estoppel (D) occurs when an employer
entices an employee to take an action by promising a reward but then does not follow
through on the reward. Fraudulent misrepresentation (A) occurs when an employer makes
untrue promises or claims to a candidate.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following standards requires employers to provide employees with information
about physical and health hazards related to chemical use in the workplace?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.While the use of PPE (A) could certainly be used to mitigate the
exposure of hazardous chemicals in the workplace, it is the Hazard Communication
Standard that requires employers to inform employees of the risks associated with
chemical use in the workplace. The general-duty clause (C) is used for safety hazards that
are not specifically identified through an existing standard. The control of hazardous energy
(D) is part of the lockout/tagout standard.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules
governing union-based strikes. An organization utilizes union labor and non-union labor in
their operations. The union goes on a strike; so the organization shifts work to the non-
union labor to offset the effects of the strike. If the union labor decides to picket the
operations of the non-union labor, what term is assigned to this process?
Which of the following allows employees to work the hours that enable them to take care of
personal work?
A. Flextime
B. Telecommuting
C. Job sharing
D. Overtime
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Which of the following Acts is used to ensure the safety of workers in coal and other
mines?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Employee pension rights are protected by which of the following acts or regulations?
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.USERRA protects the rights of reservists called to active duty in
the armed forces and applies to all public and private employers in the United States. It
includes pension protection for returning service members related to vesting, accrual, and
employer contribution continuity. The Sherman Anti-Trust act is legislation used to control
business monopolies, and Executive Order 11246 (D) prohibits employment discrimination.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Act (B) provided litigation authority to the EEOC back
in 1972.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
A. Performance-based pay
B. Seniority-based compensation
C. Pay differential
D. Base pay
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Diversity simply means “the differences among people.”
Although diversity encompasses protected-class characteristics (D) and can be a measure
of non-discriminatory hiring practices (C), it represents the differences of all employee
behaviors and classifications. Knowledge management programs (B) refer to the ability of
the employer to retain and apply the collective knowledge of their workers to achieve
strategic aims.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is developed over centuries as a result of legal decisions made by
judges in individual cases?
A. Comparable worth
B. Compensable factors
C. Common law doctrine
D. Compulsory arbitration
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following standards requires employers to provide employees with information
about physical and health hazards related to the use of chemicals in the workplace?
Answer: B
Explanation: Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Answer:
Mary is in an interview with the BAH Company and she asks the company about the
stability of the company and its future plans. Tom, the interviewer, assures Mary that the
company is solid and has long-term plans for growth and opportunity. Tom, however,
knows that the plant and position that Mary is interviewing for will be closed in six months.
Tom offers Mary the position of plant manager because he needs someone to manage the
facility until they close the plant, but he doesn't tell Mary of his plans. This is an example of
which of the following?
A. Defamation
B. Fraudulent misrepresentation
C. Constructive discharge
D. Respondeat superior
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-
470-43096-5. Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR
Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The
US Body of Knowledge.
If employees no longer want the union to represent them, they may petition the NLRB for
which of the following?
A. Statutory bar
B. Decertification
C. Deauthorization
D. Contract bar
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The NLRB will conduct a decertification election if the
employees present a petition signed by 30 percent of the employees in the bargaining unit.
Management may not participate in or encourage employees to circulate the petition or
provide any support in the process. Doing so is considered an unfair labor practice. A union
can be deauthorized (C) if employees want to remove a union security clause, such as
dues check-off. If there is a valid CBA in place (D), the NLRB will not direct an election. The
NLRA prohibits an election if one took place during the preceding 12 months (A).
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is provided by the companies to their employees who are called to
work before or after their scheduled work hours?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
Which of the following injuries would be considered work-related for purposes of reporting?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Generally, injuries are not work-related if the employee is
engaged in a voluntary wellness activity (C), eating food prepared for personal
consumption (A), or has the common cold/flu (B). This is important for two reasons: to
determine OSHA recordability and to determine compensability under workers'
compensation.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.The public-policy exception to the at-will doctrine prevents an
employer from terminating an employee who is cooperating in a government investigation
of wrongdoing. Options D and B are elements of at-will employment. Option C would also
be allowed based on the at-will doctrine but could be affected by other common-law
doctrines.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Answer: B
Explanation: Answer option B is correct.The company may make truthful statements about
a unionized environment during an organizing campaign, such as pointing out that
employees will have to pay dues to the union. Although nonunion employees are free to
talk about their reasons for not wanting a union (C), it is an unfair labor practice for the
employer to encourage them to do so. Telling employees that the company will have to
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
An effective safety and health-management plan does not include which of the following?
Which of the following provides an anonymous means by which employees can provide
ideas for improvements to management?
A. Suggestion box
B. Task force
C. Committees
D. Work team
Answer: A
Explanation:
nswer option A is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Which of the following assets consist of buildings, manufacturing machines and equipment,
vehicles, furniture, and office equipment?
A. Information assets
B. Financial assets
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
__________ occurs when the employer forces an employee to resign by creating a work
environment that is so unpleasant.
A. Reengineering
B. Public policy exception
C. Salting
D. Constructive discharge
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following requires an employee to act with reasonable care and skill in the
course of performing work for the employer?
A. Due process
B. Duty of diligence
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
The company receptionist has always been cheerful and warm when greeting customers
and has taken the initiative to do what needed to be done without waiting to be told. She
has always kept the front desk tidy and presentable for visitors. Over the last few weeks,
the receptionist has become moody and called in sick several times complaining of
headaches, and the reception area looks disorganized all the time. This receptionist is
showing classic signs of which of the following?
A. Substance abuse
B. Job dissatisfaction
C. Stress
D. SARS
Answer: C
Explanation:
Answer option C is correct.The receptionist is exhibiting symptoms of all three types of
stress: physical, emotional, and mental. SARS (D) is a type of disease, and while her
symptoms could be attributed to job dissatisfaction (B), there must still be a root cause.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following addresses the way a physical environment is designed and how
A. Ergonomics
B. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
C. Drug-Free Workplace Act
D. Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA)
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
Which of the following Acts applies to businesses with federal contracts of $100,000 or
more each year?
A. Sarbanes-Oxley Act
B. Drug-Free Workplace Act
C. Occupational Safety and Health Act
D. Mine Safety and Health Act
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.The courts will determine whether the employee had a
reasonable expectation of privacy based on the employer policy (B), how situations have
been handled in the past (C), and state-by-state regulations of employee privacy laws (D).
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Employers are required to provide a portable retirement plan to employees based on which
of the following?
Answer: B
Explanation:
nswer option B is correct.No federal law requires employers to provide a retirement plan to
employees. If employers do provide retirement benefits, ERISA (A) regulates how the plans
are offered and administered. OBRA (D) capped executive pay, required health plans to
honor qualified medical child-support orders, and required that group health plans provide
coverage for dependent adopted children of employees. The OWBPA (C) amended the
ADEA to prohibit discriminating against older workers in benefit plans and defined
requirements for employee waivers of their rights under the act.
How can an employer determine whether a job creates an ergonomic hazard for an
employee?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.Although a review and analysis of OSHA logs (C) or workers'
compensation records (D) can be used to determine any injury patterns occurring in the
workplace, observing the incumbent (B) performing the work is necessary to determine
whether there is an ergonomic hazard in the job. An MSDS (A) describes chemical hazards
unrelated to ergonomics.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Drag and drop the types of Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans that correspond to their
descriptions.
Answer:
Answer: D
Answer: Gainsharing
Gainsharing programs involve employees and managers in improving the organization's
productivity and sharing the benefits of success.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
A supervisor has called an employee in for an interview about an inventory shortage. When
the supervisor begins asking questions, the employee invokes his Weingarten rights. The
supervisor has the option to do which of the following?
A. Discontinue the interview, and make the determination based on other evidence and
documentation.
B. Continue the interview while waiting for a co-worker to return from lunch.
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Weingarten rights give all union members the right to request
that a co-worker or shop steward be present during an interview if the employee believes
the interview could lead to disciplinary action. The employer may decide to use other facts
available without interviewing the employee. The Weingarten ruling does not entitle
employees to have an attorney present (C). Employers are not required to wait for a
lengthy period of time until the co-worker returns (D). The interview must be discontinued
while waiting for the co-worker (B). As of 2004, employers are required to honor
Weingarten requests only for union members.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is often formed to address ongoing issues in the organization?
A. Delegating authority
B. Committees
C. Task force
D. Virtual work team
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Employee Relations
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.Votes can be challenged by the union representative or by
management only before the vote goes into the ballot box.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Review Questions
If an employee files a complaint with OSHA, under which of the following would they be
protected?
A. Emergency action
B. Physical environmental hazard
C. General-duty clause
D. Whistle-blower protection
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Whistleblower standards protect an employee's right to file a
complaint to OSHA about a workplace safety or health hazard. It is considered a basic
employee right granted under the OSH act in 1970. Emergency action (A) is a type of plan
required by OSHA, and the general duty clause (C) states that employers have a general
duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace for employees.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following is a legal term that describes an action that injures someone?
A. Tort
B. Temp-to-perm
C. Total Quality Management (TQM)
D. TIPS
Answer: A
Explanation:
Answer option A is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Federal Employment Legislation
Which of the following serves to motivate employees to work safely, reduce workers
compensation costs, and encourage improvements to safety programs?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Assessment
An employee earning $22,500 per year supervises three employees and spends 35 hours
per week on essential job duties that require discretion and independent judgment. Which
of the following describes this employee?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Effective in 2004, employees must be paid a minimum of $455
per week to be exempt from FLSA requirements. This employee earns only $432.69 per
week. ($22,500/52 weeks = $432.69.) Although C is also correct, the best answer is the
one that explains why. See Chapter 6 for more information.
Chapter: Compensation and Benefits
Objective: Compensation
What is the best way to ensure that employees comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act?
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.Although all of these are steps in the process, the best way to
ensure that employees will comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act is to develop and
publish a written policy.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Review Questions
Which of the following Acts provides compensation for employees and contractors of the
Department of Energy who were subjected to excessive radiation while producing and
testing nuclear weapons?
Answer: B
Explanation:
Answer option B is correct.
Chapter: Risk Management
Objective: Risk Management
Which of the following is an action taken by the employer to stop employees from working?
A. Calling conference
B. Security checks
C. Strike
D. Lockout
Answer: D
Explanation:
Answer option D is correct.
Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations
Objective: Union Organization
As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with intrinsic rewards and extrinsic
rewards that your company provides for its employees. Which of the following is an
example of an intrinsic reward?
A. Cash compensation
B. Satisfaction from challenging and exciting assignments
C. On-site cafeteria
D. Esteem from working with other talented people
Answer: B
Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-
0-470-43096-5. Chapter Six: Total Rewards. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide,
HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of
Knowledge.