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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

HRCI SPHR Exam Questions

Page 3 of 60

41.

Under the Immigration Act of 1990, the number of immigrants allowed under the H-1B category is limited to how many annually?

  • 65,000

  • 100,000

  • 40,000

  • 400,000

Correct answer: 65,000

The Immigration Act of 1990 restricts the number of allowed H-1B immigrants into the US to 65,000 annually. H-1B immigrant workers include specialty occupations, DOD workers, and fashion models.

42.

When an organization is trying to mitigate a risk, what are they attempting to do?

  • Reduce the risk

  • Accept the risk

  • Avoid the risk

  • Transfer the risk

Correct answer: Reduce the risk

Managing organizational risk can be handled in one of four ways: mitigation, acceptance, avoidance, or transfer. These can be described as follows: 

  • Mitigation: When the company mitigates risk, they are changing or implementing an organizational behavior, practice, or policy in an effort to minimize or remove the risk.
  • Acceptance: When a company accepts a risk, they are acknowledging the risk and accept any organizational or financial impact of the risk.
  • Avoidance: When a company eliminates the risk by changing or removing the risk from the organization.
  • Transfer: When a company transfers the risk, they are assigning the liability of the risk to a third-party, such as an insurance company. This could also include outsourcing key areas of risk to a subcontractor or vendor, such as payroll and HR services.

43.

When must employers comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • When a third party is to conduct criminal history reports 

  • When a third party is to conduct credit reports 

  • When there is any written, oral or other communication of any information by a consumer-reporting agency

  • When an employer does its own background investigation

  • When an employer contacts personal references

In general, when employers use a third party to conduct background checks on applicants or employees, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) will apply. The FCRA governs how employers obtain and handle consumer reports, which include standard background checks. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an FCRA consumer report is any written, oral or other communication of any information by a consumer-reporting agency bearing on a consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living. In the employment context, this definition may, for example, include credit reports, criminal history reports, driving records and other background check reports created by a third party, such as drug tests. The FCRA does not apply when an employer does its own investigation, only when a third party is used.

The FCRA requires employers to disclose that consumer reports may be used for employment decisions and to secure consent from employees or applicants to obtain these reports. If consumer reports provide information that results in an adverse employment action against an individual, the employer must provide the person with a copy of the report and his or her FCRA rights. In addition, the candidate must be advised of their right to dispute the information, which is included in the FCRA rights.

44.

Rosita wants to use a training assessment needs model to identify and show her department's training needs. Which of the following answer choices has the steps to completing this type of assessment in the correct order?

  • Identify the goal, gather and analyze data, identify the performance gap, identify instructional goals, propose solutions, evaluate options and predict training costs and timeline, present the proposal for the training. 

  • Present the proposal for the training, identify the goal, identify the performance gap, gather and analyze data, identify instructional goals, propose solutions, evaluate options and predict training costs and timeline.

  • Gather and analyze data, identify instructional goals, present the proposal for the training, identify the goal, identify the performance gap, propose solutions, evaluate options and predict training costs and timeline.

  • Evaluate options and predict training costs and timeline, gather and analyze data, identify instructional goals, present the proposal for the training, identify the goal, identify the performance gap, propose solutions.

Correct answer: There are seven general steps in a training needs assessment. These steps should be completed in the following order:

1) identify the goal of the training, 

2) gather and analyze data relevant to the training goal

3) identify the performance gap that will be closed by the training

4) identify instructional goals for the instructors of the training

5) propose solutions to the main problem the training is intended to address

6) evaluate options and predict training costs and timeline

7) present the proposal for the training to the leadership team for approval

45.

When conducting an investigatory interview, which of the following persons should you interview first?

  • The complainant

  • The manager

  • The witness

  • The accused 

Correct answer: The complainant 

When conducting a workplace investigation, it is important to always start with interviewing the complainant. During this interview, you are able to confirm and clarify the details of the complaint, determine if there are any additional witnesses, and communicate the general investigation process to the complainant. 

With all of the interviews, in addition to noting what is said by each party, be sure to note the interviewees' demeanor and openness.

46.

For how long must ERISA records be maintained?

  • 6 years

  • 2 years

  • 8 years

  • 10 years

Correct answer: 6 years

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires that organizations maintain records for six years from the date they were filed with the DOL.

47.

In Herzberg's two-factor theory, which of the following are considered motivational factors?

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • Responsibility

  • Growth/promotion opportunity

  • Recognition

  • Rate of pay

  • Policies

  • Relationships

In 1959, Frederick Herzberg sought out to understand the causes of job satisfaction and felt that job dissatisfaction would be as a result of the opposite. Through this research, Herzberg identified a concept that people are happy (motivated) as a result of what they do, but are dissatisfied by how they are treated. Herzberg found that motivation can occur through both factors - motivation factors and hygiene factors. 

  • Motivation factors include personal growth and development, responsibility, achievement, recognition, promotional opportunities, and job interest.
  • Hygiene factors include quality of supervisor, rate of pay, job security, policies and procedures, relationships, fringe benefits.

48.

What do professionals, laborers/helpers, technicians, and craft workers have in common?

  • They are all job categories on the EEO-1 report

  • They are all examples of protected-class individuals

  • They are all examples of types of labor unions

  • They are all classifications of defining exempt workers

Correct answer: They are all job categories on the EEO-1 report

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs created a form that employers must use in order to show their compliance with both agencies' regulations, such as race and gender within the company. This report groups workers into categories based on responsibility and skill.

49.

All of the following are indicators that an employee may be a high-potential employee (HiPo) except:

  • The ability to be cautious and avoid taking risks

  • A demonstrated ability to learn and apply new knowledge and skills on the job

  • Accepting and acting on feedback to improve performance

  • Showing commitment to continuous learning and career development 

Correct answer: The ability to be cautious and avoid taking risks

Explanation: HiPos, are those employees who are identified as future leaders. They demonstrate the ability to learn and apply new knowledge and skills on the job. they also accept and act on feedback to improve performance and show a commitment to continuous learning and career development. Additionally, they demonstrate the ability to assess and take risks. 

50.

There are several different bargaining positions that can be taken during collective bargaining negotiation. Which type of collective bargaining is a zero-sum game?

  • Positional bargaining

  • Principled bargaining

  • Integrity bargaining

  • Interest-based bargaining

Correct answer: Positional bargaining

There are two basic approaches to negotiating in the collective bargaining process, and they are positional and principled bargaining.

Positional bargaining is an approach where each side has a position, and the goal is to win versus creating a win-win solution. Each side will start out with a high or low demand, and concessions are made until an agreement is made somewhere in the middle. This makes the process an adversarial, competitive one.

Principled bargaining is a negotiation approach in which the parties look at all the issues and collaborate to great win-win solutions for all parties involved. One of the most common of these negotiation approaches is integrative bargaining. Another common principled bargaining strategy, interest-based bargaining, is based on the concept that both sides in the negotiation have similar interests.

51.

A realistic job preview:

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • Showcases a typical day on the job

  • Increases the likelihood of success for new hires

  • Helps candidates determine if they want to continue to be considered for the position

  • Is required to be included in all interview processes

  • Allows hiring managers to get free labor from potential candidates

A Realistic Job Preview (RJP) is a recruiting tool used to communicate both the good and bad aspects of a job. Essentially, it is used to provide prospective employees with a realistic view of what the job entails. This process is used to provide candidates a better description of the organization and the job (e.g., work environment, duties, expectations) to help them determine if the organization matches what they are looking for. 

While the RJP can be useful for reducing turnover, it should be used as a candidate self-evaluation tool rather than a traditional selection device (e.g., cognitive ability tests, accomplishment record). Methods to provide a realistic job preview include shadowing a current employee, simulations, a tour of the workplace, among others.

52.

What are the best tools that organizations can use to ensure change initiatives are successful?

Select all that apply. There are 4 correct answers.

  • Recruit unofficial leaders

  • Have an executive sponsor

  • Prepare for change

  • Communicate

  • Force compliance

  • Create a detailed timeline

Change management within organizations can be difficult; therefore, it is critical for HR professionals to understand the tools more likely to support a successful change initiative. These tools include: 

  • Prepare for change
  • Communicate
  • Develop a plan
  • Have an executive sponsor
  • Motivate direct supervisors
  • Recruit unofficial leaders
  • Implement
  • Evaluate

At some point in the change process, you may have to force compliance, but ideally, this would not be the best tool to utilize. Additionally, a plan is important, but a detailed timeline could derail the motivation and engagement in the change if the timeline is not followed.

53.

Allowing employees to work so many days per week and extend the length of the day in exchange for a day off every other week is an example of what type of work/life balance program?

  • Compressed workweek

  • Part-time work

  • Job sharing

  • Flextime

Correct answer: Compressed workweek

A compressed workweek is a positive employee relations program, and one variation allows an employee to work so many days per week and extend the length of the day in exchange for a day off every other week.

54.

Business management strategy (BMS) is the foundation of most human resource activities. What is the goal of HR within the organizational domain of BMS?

  • To develop, support, and align HR policies, programs, and goals to the organization's mission, vision, values and strategic objectives.

  • To enforce HR laws and create policies that reduce risk for the organization.

  • To make key decisions that impact employees and produce higher levels of performance, creating a more profitable business.

  • To change the culture of the organization so that it's more appealing and moves away from outdated mission statements.

Correct answer: To develop, support, and align HR policies, programs, and goals to the organization's mission, vision, values and strategic objectives.

Business management strategy (BMS) is the process of developing high-level strategies and plans to achieve the organizational goals and objectives. Within HR, when developing policies, procedures, and programs, it is important to align these items with the overall strategic direction and goals of the organization. HR programs and processes have the ability to shape the corporate brand and identity which can greatly influence achievement of organizational goals.

55.

Which of the following are true in regard to succession plans?

Select all that apply. There are 3 correct answers.

  • They are future focused

  • They are part of business continuity plans

  • They may be incorporated into the recruiting plan

  • They focus on past failures

  • They are valid for six months

Succession planning is a future- focused process for keeping talent in the pipeline to ensure business continuity. It is generally a 12- to 36-month process of preparation and can be incorporated into recruiting plans.

Senior HR professional should be able identify critical job skills, knowledge, relationships and organizational practices necessary to prepare the upcoming leaders within the organization allowing for a seamless movement of talent within the organization.

56.

If one thinks about HR as a game of chess, with HR being the game masters and employees being the chess pieces, the rules are created by the strategies which HR uses to make moves. The only difference between the real-world game of HR and the game of chess is:

  • The rulebook is constantly changing

  • The HR team can restart the game anytime

  • The skill of the players dictates the winner

  • A chess game is based on chance

Correct answer: The rulebook is constantly changing

HR can be compared to a game of chess. HR are the masters of the game and employees are the game pieces with capabilities and vulnerabilities, each moving around a game board that is much like the marketplace. Unlike a chess game, however, the real world has no one set of rules. Therefore, the rulebook must be adaptable and changing to the needs of the organizational goals and climate in which it operates.

57.

An OSHA consultant has been working with an employer to ensure they are meeting all OSHA safety standards. Two visits ago the consultant identified a potential violation and coached the employer on how to correct it, but the employer hasn't taken any action. Which of the following is correct?

  • The OSHA consultant should refer the violation to an OSHA inspector

  • The OSHA consultant should issue a safety citation with appropriate penalties now, since a coaching has already occurred and no action has been taken

  • The OSHA consultant should have issued a safety citation with appropriate penalties immediately upon noting the potential violation

  • The OSHA consultant should coach the employer again but not take any further reporting action

Correct answer: The OSHA consultant should refer the violation to an OSHA inspector

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exists to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. To do this, they must enforce safety standards, conduct inspections, investigate violations, and hold employers accountable for violations. These actions are all done with the best interest of the employee in mind. It is their aim to be proactive before the need to be reactive arises, and they work to include employers in that goal as well.

To help employers create a safe and healthy workplace, OSHA provides a wide variety of resources at no cost, many available online at OSHA.gov. Another resource available to employers is the use of a consultant. An OSHA trained consultant will provide services, free of charge, to an employer to help them learn about OSHA standards and which ones apply to their workplace, to involve employees, and also to correct any potential violations without citation. If the employer does not work to resolve the violation, the consultant can refer the violation to an OSHA inspector.

58.

During a union campaign, an inside organizer works from within an organization to build support for the union. Who is the inside organizer employed by?

  • The organization/company

  • The union

  • Both the organization/company and the union

  • A third party campaigning group

Correct answer: The organization/company 

Unions use a variety of tactics to organize employees. Inside organization is considered to be the most effective tactic since it works by building trust and support from the inside. An inside organizer is an employee of the target company or organization who uses their influence on co-workers to build support and encourage participation. A related method, salting, occurs when the union pays an individual to apply for a job within a targeted company, and once the job is obtained, the employee begins union organizing efforts.

59.

What was the Wagner Act of 1935 part of?

  • President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal

  • Taft-Hartley Act

  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

  • U.S. Bill of Rights

Correct answer: President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal

The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), was passed as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in 1935. The NLRA was passed to provide protections for employees and employers, to encourage collective bargaining, and to curtail certain private sector labor and management practices, which can harm the general welfare of workers, businesses and the U.S. economy. Additionally, the NLRA identified five employer unfair labor practices (ULPs) and created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to enforce the act's provisions.

60.

Which of the following incentive plans was developed in the 1930s to increase production and decrease costs through employee involvement?

  • Scanlon Plan

  • Gainsharing

  • ESOP

  • Improshare

Correct answer: Scanlon Plan

The Scanlon Plan was developed in the 1930s by Joseph Scanlon, with the intent to increase production and decrease costs through employee involvement.

Gainsharing is an incentive plan that motivates employees and managers to improve the organization's productivity by allowing them to share in the benefits of success.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a defined-contribution plan that is tax-qualified and allows employees to own company stock.

Improshare involves the establishment of a baseline for organization productivity and a baseline for productivity costs to determine the organization's performance when compared to the new output.

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