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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

HRCI PHR Exam Questions

Page 10 of 73

181.

What training method would a trainer be using if they explained a task and then performed it before asking the trainee to perform the task under their guidance?

  • Demonstration

  • One-on-one

  • Performance

  • Vestibule

Correct answer: Demonstration

Instructional methods can be categorized as either passive, active, or experiential.

  • Passive methods are those in which require little participation from the learner outside of listening and absorbing the information. Examples include lectures, presentations, and conferences.
  • Active methods are those that require the learner to actively participate in the learning environment. Learning activities include facilitation, case studies, simulation, vestibule, and Socratic seminars.
  • Experiential training methods provide experiences in real-time situations and include demonstrations, one-on-ones, and performance-based training.

The demonstration method of training is an experiential training method and is commonly utilized during on-the-job training. In this type of training, a trainee is shown how to complete a task, and is then given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform the task with the trainer.

182.

Two types of contract workers include:

Select all that apply. There are 2 correct answers.

  • Independent contractors

  • Contingent workforce

  • Outplacement contractors

  • Staffing contractors

Alternative staffing methods allow for flexible strategies to address the pool of available candidates within the market. Being flexible allows for increased opportunities to expand existing talent pools. Common alternative staffing methods include:

  • Telecommuting
  • Job Sharing
  • Part-time employees
  • Internships
  • Temporary workers
  • Contract workers
    • Independent contractors are individuals who are self-employed and work on a project or fee for service basis. They are typically working with multiple customers or clients.
    • The contingent workforce includes workers who are not traditional full-time, permanent employees. This can include part-time and seasonal employees as well as temporary or leased employees. These are usually managed by staffing/labor organizations that serve as the employer of record.
  • Professional employer organizations
  • Outsourcing

183.

Split payroll is a way of paying which of the following?

  • Expatriates

  • Full-time employees

  • Part-time employees

  • On-call workers

Correct answer: Expatriates

An expatriate can receive their compensation with part being the currency of their home country and the other part being in the currency of the organization's home country. This is referred to as split payroll.

184.

According to thought leader, Henry Mintzberg, __________ should manage and  __________ should lead.

  • leaders; managers

  • managers; directors

  • managers; leaders

  • directors; executives

Correct answer: leaders; managers

According to thought leader, Henry Mintzberg, leaders should manage and managers should lead.

185.

What are the four categories of organization development interventions?

  • Strategic, techno-structural, human process, human resource management

  • Strategic, environmental, human process, human resource management

  • Strategic, techno-structural, management, human resource management

  • Social, sustainable, human process, human resource management

Correct answer: Strategic, techno-structural, human process, human resource management

Organizational development, also referred to simply as “OD,” is a effort planned, organizational-wide, and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness and health through planned interventions in an organizations processes using behavioral-science knowledge. This process develops action strategies to improve overall organizational results. These strategies are called OD interventions and focus on addressing issues in four main categories: strategic, techno-structural, human process, and human resource management.

  • Strategic interventions: Used to implement changes to the vision, mission, and values of the organization. Examples include change management, knowledge management, and learning organizations.
  • Techno-structural interventions: Used to address issues related to how the work is completed within the organization by examining and redesigning quality and processes. Examples include Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma.
  • Human process interventions: Directed at developing individual competencies. Examples include team building activities, conflict resolution, and management by objectives.
  • Human resource management interventions: Focus on the individuals within the organization. Examples include developing hiring and selection procedures or job design.

186.

Which of the following represents the five phases of the project life cycle as described by Kim Heldman in Project Management Jumpstart?

  • Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring/Controlling, Closure

  • Ideation, Development, Implementation, Review, Feedback

  • Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, Repetition

  • Asking for Permission, Preparation, Implementation, Evaluation, Termination

Correct answer: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring/Controlling, Closure

Kim Heldman defined five phases of the project life cycle as initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling, and closure.

The incorrect answers are fabricated lists of terms.

187.

Which of the following are true about a vision statement?

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • It communicates the direction of the organization

  • It defines the organization's purposes

  • It describes what the organization desires to become

  • It communicates short term organizational objectives

As part of the strategic planning process, organizations often develop a vision statement. A vision statement can be short or long but should describe the organization's purpose, what the organization is striving for, and what it wants to achieve—it should be inspirational. A vision statement communicates the organization's value and the commitment to achieving its goal. It is not intended to outline short-term goals or objectives.

188.

All of these are included in the purpose of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 except:

  • To mandate that the same individual handles all discrimination cases in the workplace to eliminate bias.

  • To define intentional discrimination in the workplace and to provide appropriate solutions for said discrimination.

  • To confirm statutory authority and provide statutory guidelines for the adjudication of disparate impact suits.

  • To expand the scope of relevant civil rights statutes.

Correct answer: To mandate that the same individual handles all discrimination cases in the workplace to eliminate bias.

The purpose of the Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1991 is as stated directly from the Act:

  1. to provide appropriate remedies for intentional discrimination and unlawful harassment in the workplace;
  2. to codify the concepts of `business necessity' and `job-related' enunciated by the Supreme Court in Griggs v. Duke Power Co., 401 U.S. 424 (1971), and in the other Supreme Court decisions prior to Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio, 490 U.S. 642 (1989);
  3. to confirm statutory authority and provide statutory guidelines for the adjudication of disparate impact suits under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.); and
  4. to respond to recent decisions of the Supreme Court by expanding the scope of relevant civil rights statutes in order to provide adequate protection to victims of discrimination.

189.

Sales is considered the short-term version of what long-term activity?

  • Marketing

  • Production

  • Development

  • Inventory Management

Correct answer: Marketing

Sales and marketing are two different activities, however, they are closely related. Both functions are responsible for moving a company's products or services to a consumer.

The sales function focuses on the short-term activities related to a product or service. Sales is responsible for proactively seeking out consumers whereas marketing focuses on the longer term activities related to the product. This includes product branding, product research, pricing, placement, advertisement, etc.

190.

Which of the following provides a summary of a company's revenues and expenses over a specific period?

  • Income statements

  • Balance sheets

  • Statement of cash flow

  • Co-sourcing documentation

Correct answer: Income statements

An income statement shows how net income equals sales minus expenses; it is a momentary picture of what the company is taking in. Income statements are often used to show leaders how their organizations are doing compared to previous time periods.

A balance sheet is a financial document that contains information that shows how assets equal liabilities plus equity, also known as a signifier of organizational financial health. Statement of cash flows shows the status of the organization's liquid assets (cash) and indicates whether money is coming into the organization quicker than it is leaving (positive cash flow) or vice-versa. Co-sourcing is when two departments or teams work on the same project or function to strengthen the work.

191.

Payroll software must be able to manage the complexities of payroll processing. In an organization where employees have varying work schedules and different pay rates, what feature must a payroll software have to manage this complexity?

  • Time tracking

  • Wage garnishments

  • Debt garnishments

  • Unemployment insurance calculations

Correct answer: Time tracking

Time tracking can be automated by payroll platforms, and can take in information such as hours worked and wages assigned to employees.

Wage and debt garnishments are involuntary withholdings that companies must take from an employee's paycheck before paying them money. These garnishments are typically court-ordered, with the money going to things like child support or other debts. Unemployment insurance calculations may vary from state to state, and effective payroll platforms must be able to keep up with local requirements to withhold unemployment tax and distribute the money to the appropriate agencies.

192.

Which of the following is true of most payroll systems?

  • They allow for automatic calculation of deductions and taxes

  • They lack integration with accounting software

  • They are exclusively accessible by HR professionals

  • They require manual input of employee hours and earnings

Correct answer: They allow for automatic calculation of deductions and taxes

One of the major benefits of using payroll systems is that they automate many payroll processes to reduce the administrative burden on HR teams and they reduce human error.

The incorrect answers are not common characteristics of payroll systems.

193.

Who is required to register with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)?

  • All public accounting firms

  • All public companies

  • All corporations with in-house accounting

  • All organizations with in-house accounting

Correct answer: All public accounting firms

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was enacted by Congress in 2002 and is enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This was enacted in response to the scandals caused when corporate executives at Enron and WorldCom failed to meet their fiduciary responsibilities. Changes brought by the enactment of SOX include:

  • Established the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and required all public accounting firms to register with the board, which conducts periodic inspections to ensure their compliance with audit standards.
  • Established new standards to ensure the independence of auditors relative to the businesses they audit, including restrictions on non-audit-related services such as bookkeeping, management, human resource consulting, or other similar services; rotation of audit partner assignments at least every five years; and a requirement that the audit report and recommendations to the management team be delivered directly to the audit committee of the BOD.
  • Established standards for corporate responsibility, holding the chief executive of a public company accountable for the fairness and accuracy of financial reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
  • Required CEOs and CFOs to reimburse the company for incentive- or equity-based compensation in the event of a material restatement of financial reports to the SEC caused by misconduct.
  • Prohibited insider trading of stock during pension fund blackout periods when employees aren't able to trade the stock in their pension accounts.
  • Established ethical requirements for senior financial officers. Took steps to ensure the fairness, accuracy, and independence of stock analysis.

194.

HRIS is considered which of the following?

  • A technological tool

  • A legislative committee

  • An employee benefit

  • A recruitment tool

Correct answer: A technological tool

HRIS is an acronym for Human Resource Information Systems. HRIS is a technological tool that is used by HR staff to efficiently perform their job duties. An HRIS is able to assist with a variety of tasks and can reach across functional areas to include report generation, workforce analysis, and data collection and analysis. An HRIS primarily serves two purposes: first, a system to maintain key employee information, and second, as analyze data to support decision makers in making the best decision possible.

195.

Use the information below to answer the question that follows.

Job openings advertised: 20
Hired applicants: 15 male, 5 female
Applications received: 143 male, 68 female

Were female applicants adversely impacted?

  • Yes, female applicants were adversely impacted because the selection rate for females was less than 80% of that of males

  • No adverse impact occurred

  • Yes, female applicants were adversely impacted because 75% of the positions were filled by males

  • Males were adversely impacted

Correct answer: Yes, female applicants were adversely impacted because the selection rate for females was less than 80% of that of males

An adverse impact is when a company appears to be using neutral hiring practices that are in fact discriminatory against protected classes. Employers must follow the 80% rule, or hire protected classes at a rate of at least 80% of white males.

Since 15 ÷ 143 = 10%; 5 ÷ 68 = 7%; 10% ÷ 80% = 8%; 7% < 8%: Female applicants were adversely impacted.

196.

Which of the following is not a federal law that regulates voluntary benefits?

  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

  • Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

  • Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)

  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Correct answer: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 does not regulate voluntary benefits but instead is an act meant to regulate minimum wage and overtime compensation.

197.

How long does an employer have to respond to an employee's request for FMLA leave?

  • 5 business days

  • 10 business days

  • 3 business days

  • 1 month

Correct answer: 5 business days

Employers must responds to an employees' FMLA leave request within 5 business days.

198.

Which of the following is true of the "gut feeling" interviewer bias?

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • Interviewer relies on intuition versus candidate skills

  • It can be good or bad

  • It is often determined without reasoning

  • It is influenced by nonverbal communication

We all have biases, whether conscious or unconscious. Therefore, as interviewers, we must be aware of the potential biases which will help reduce the impact on the selection process. Below is a list of common biases associated with the recruitment process.

  • Average/central tendency: The interviewer has difficulty deciding which candidate is the best, therefore, rates all in the middle or average.
  • Contrast: Candidates are compared to a single candidate; therefore, they may appear more or less qualified depending on the comparison candidate.
  • Cultural noise: When candidates answer questions based on information they think will get them the job (what they think the interviewer wants). The candidate is basing their answer on the interviewer's presentation of information, and the interviewer does not know that the candidate is tailoring their answer to satisfy their requirements.
  • First impression: When people are influenced by the first piece of information they are exposed to about the candidate and are biased in evaluating subsequent information based on that initial information or impression.
  • Gut feeling: Intuition, or gut feeling, is commonly defined as a decision we make without conscious reasoning.
  • Halo effect: When our overall impression of a person influences how we feel and think about their character. Essentially, your overall impression of a person impacts the evaluations of that person's specific traits.
  • Harshness/horn effect: When one's perception of another is unduly influenced by a single negative trait.
  • Knowledge-of-predictor: When the interviewer knows that a candidate scored particularly high or low on an assessment test.
  • Leniency: When an interviewer tends to go easy on a candidate, giving a higher rating than is warranted.
  • Negative emphasis: When an interviewer judges a candidate based on personal, irrelevant preferences, such as height, size, tone of voice, or hairstyle.
  • Nonverbal bias: When the interviewer is influenced by nonverbal communication/body language.
  • Question inconsistency: When candidates are asked different interview questions.
  • Recency: When the interviewer recalls the most recently interviewed candidate more clearly than earlier candidates.
  • Similar-to-me: When the candidate's interests or characteristics align with those of the interviewer, the interviewer may overlook negative traits.
  • Stereotyping: When the interviewer assumes the candidate has specific traits because they are a member of a specific group.

199.

During the hiring process, subtle biases can unintentionally influence the final impression an interviewer forms of a candidate, potentially impacting the selection process. Of the scenarios below, which one demonstrates halo effect/horn effect bias?

  • You're hiring an engineering manager. A candidate with an undergraduate degree from MIT catches your eye. Excited about the prestigious engineering school, you overlook the fact that the candidate's degree was actually in history.

  • During interviews for a Quality Assurance Manager position, you pose technical questions regarding software proficiency to younger candidates, while emphasizing leadership and management skills for older candidates.

  • An HR manager observes a hiring manager interviewing a candidate for a supervisory position. The hiring manager's office is decorated with college football memorabilia, particularly for a specific team. Throughout the interview, the candidate frequently uses references to that specific college football team when answering questions about teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. The candidate mentions instances where the team "pulled through" or "overcame challenges" without offering any specific details about their own contributions. While the hiring manager seems impressed by the candidate's enthusiasm and passion, the HR manager notices they don't actively probe deeper into the candidate's responses.

  • The interview started off smoothly, with the candidate answering questions in a thoughtful and engaging manner. However, the interviewer couldn't help but notice the candidate's persistent habit of glancing at their watch. As the interview continued, the watch-checking became increasingly distracting, pulling the interviewer's attention away from the candidate's responses.

Correct answer: You're hiring an engineering manager. A candidate with an undergraduate degree from MIT catches your eye. Excited about the prestigious engineering school, you overlook the fact that the candidate's degree was actually in history.

The halo effect and horn effect occur when a rater focuses excessively on either a positive trait (halo) or a negative trait (horn), disregarding all other candidate criteria.

One strategy to mitigate the impact of these biases is to conduct interviews with another person and then compare notes once the evaluation is finished. Focusing solely on a candidate's alignment with the job requirements or organizational culture, and documenting opinions accordingly, provides the strongest defense against accusations of interview bias.

The other answers are examples of different types of biases.

200.

A non-exempt employee working for their state government works 45 hours this week but does not receive overtime pay. Why does this employee not receive overtime pay?

  • Because public institutions are allowed to issue compensatory time in lieu of paying overtime

  • Because public institutions are not required to compensate for hours worked in excess of 40 per week

  • Because non-exempt employees are not eligible for overtime

  • Because FLSA is a federal regulation and the employee works for the state government

Correct answer: Because public institutions are allowed to issue compensatory time in lieu of paying overtime

Based on FLSA regulations, public institutions, such as state or local governments, are allowed to issue compensatory time in lieu of paying overtime, but private-sector employers must still pay overtime wages. When offering comp time instead of overtime pay, the comp time must be agreed to in advance by both the employee and employer, and it must equal 1.5 times the amount of overtime that was worked.

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