PHR Test Questions with Correct Answers
Question 1.
Misalignment of employee and organization values most often results in:
A. More Accidents
B. Employee Reorientation
C. Rapid Turnover
D. Decrease brand loyalty
Correct Answer: C. Rapid Turnover
i. Employee turnover is very costly. Culture align-ment is a key deterrent to
When employees are passionate about what they do and when they can easily
how they connect with the mission and values of the organi-zation, they are
likely to stay with the company and make valuable contri-butions.
Question 2.
What factor is most critical to the success of a sugges-tion system?
a. Management oversight
b. Incentives for participating
c. Monetary rewards
d. Timely feedback
Correct Answer: d. Timely feedback
Question 3.
Which reward ranks highest amount the Generation Y (millennials) population?
a. Competitive base salary
b. Incentive pay programs
c. Challenging work
d. Paid time off
Correct Answer:
Question 4.
A review of an organizations policy manual, bulletin boards, chart of the human resources
department, the job-relatedness of job specifications, employment ap-plication forms,
newspaper ads, and starting salaries of similar jobs would be appropriate when auditing
its:
a. EEO programs
b. Staffing activities
c. Compensation programs
d. HRIS
Correct Answer: a. EEO programs
i. EEO Equal Employment Opportunity - the prima-ry purpose is to determine if
employers employ-ment process creates bar-riers to employment for protected
and to ensure that they are pro-viding equal opportunity for applicants and
,Only and EEO au-dit would include a review of all the items listed in the stem. ii.
audit of compen-sation programs may in-clude the policy manual and the
pay but it would not include a review of newspaper ads.
Question 5.
Which of the following is appropriate to be kept in an employee's personnel file?
a. Works comp claim info
b. Documents related to wage garnishment
c. Documentation of verbal warnings
d. Verification of eligibility to work in the US
Correct Answer: c. Documentation of verbal warnings
i. Everything related to employee performance should be kept in the per-sonnel
ii. Identity and work eli-
gibility is verified through USCIS i-9 employee eligi-bility verification form. I-9s
be kept separate from personnel files to al-low easy retrieval and to limit the
of an i-9 in-spection. iii. Wage garnishments (child support deductions) should
be kept in a personnel file because they could negatively influ-ence a future
evaluation or investigation decision. iv. Under the ADA, any
documentation containing medical information must be maintained in
files complete sep-arate from the general personnel file. Worker's comp claim
should be kept in a separate medical file with limited access as it could also
in-fluence employment deci-sions.
Question 6.
An employer may prevail in a dress code complaint regarding a female employee's need
to cover her head if it can show:
a. A loss of customer base due to the practice of its employees
b. That the cover presents a possible safety hazard
c. The practice discriminates against the male employ-ees
d. Is it outside the definition of "social norms"
Correct Answer: b. That the cover presents a possible safety hazard
i. A key defense in dis-crimination claim is "busi-ness necessity". When an
facially neutral employment practice dis-proportionately harms a protected
(ex. Mi-nority or women workers), the employees may sue for disparate impact
under Title VII. An employer whose prac-tice is found to dispro-portionately
a pro-tected class may avoid liability by proving that the challenged
practice is required by "business necessity". Maintaining a safe work-place is a
neces-sity.
Question 7.
Employee email communications riddled with offen-sive language, crude jokes, and sexual
pictures can create liability for a/an:
a. Improper use of email systems
b. First Amendment violation c. Defamation claim by recipients
d. Hostile work environment
Correct Answer: d. Hostile work environ-ment
, i. Hostile workplace sex-ual harassment is a form of sex discrimination un-
der the Title VII of the civil rights act. It includes such behavior as listed in the
ii. First Amendment only limits the governments' ability to suppress speech.
Amendment protec-tions do not apply to pri-vate sector employers iii.
are not liable of an employee's defama-tory behavior.
Question 8.
When revising its non-discrimination policy to add transgender identification, an
organization should also include a policy relating to:
a. Medical benefits
b. Personal safety
c. Privacy rights
d. The transition phase
Correct Answer: d. The transition phase
Question 9.
When an investigation reveals that an employee has stolen from the employer, and only a
performance-reg-ulated progressive discipline policy is in place, the em-ployer's best
action is to:
a. Terminate the employee immediately
b. Follow the progressive discipline policy - incorrect
c. Base a decision on the size of the loss
d. Allow the employee to repay the loss
Correct Answer: a. Terminate the employee immediately
i. A progressive disci-pline policy is a mul-ti-step process for cor-recting
or un-desirable behavior, usual-ly starting with a verbal
warning and ending with a termination. ii. Progressive discipline policies are
helpful because they offer con-structive feedback in a va-riety of correctable
that do not violate the company's core val-ues. They also help ensure more
discipline in similar situations across the organization and help set
iii. However, egregious be-havior that puts the com-pany at risk should be
immediately and outside of the progressive discipline process. iv. Theft is a
workplace misconduct that should result in termina-tion on the first offense.
v. In addition, if employ-ment is "at-will", employ-ers have the right to
someone with or without cause.
Question 10.
In a unionized workplace, a grievance is an allegation that: a. The union has failed to
appropriately apply dues
b. The employer has bargained in bad faith
c. An employees contract rights have been violated
d. An arbitrator is required to resolve the issue
Correct Answer: c. An employees contract rights have been violated
i. Grievance occurs when there is a dispute or dis-agreement between the
Union member and the employer regarding the application or inter-pretation of
Union con-tract or employment laws. ii. It provides opportuni-ty for untion and
Question 1.
Misalignment of employee and organization values most often results in:
A. More Accidents
B. Employee Reorientation
C. Rapid Turnover
D. Decrease brand loyalty
Correct Answer: C. Rapid Turnover
i. Employee turnover is very costly. Culture align-ment is a key deterrent to
When employees are passionate about what they do and when they can easily
how they connect with the mission and values of the organi-zation, they are
likely to stay with the company and make valuable contri-butions.
Question 2.
What factor is most critical to the success of a sugges-tion system?
a. Management oversight
b. Incentives for participating
c. Monetary rewards
d. Timely feedback
Correct Answer: d. Timely feedback
Question 3.
Which reward ranks highest amount the Generation Y (millennials) population?
a. Competitive base salary
b. Incentive pay programs
c. Challenging work
d. Paid time off
Correct Answer:
Question 4.
A review of an organizations policy manual, bulletin boards, chart of the human resources
department, the job-relatedness of job specifications, employment ap-plication forms,
newspaper ads, and starting salaries of similar jobs would be appropriate when auditing
its:
a. EEO programs
b. Staffing activities
c. Compensation programs
d. HRIS
Correct Answer: a. EEO programs
i. EEO Equal Employment Opportunity - the prima-ry purpose is to determine if
employers employ-ment process creates bar-riers to employment for protected
and to ensure that they are pro-viding equal opportunity for applicants and
,Only and EEO au-dit would include a review of all the items listed in the stem. ii.
audit of compen-sation programs may in-clude the policy manual and the
pay but it would not include a review of newspaper ads.
Question 5.
Which of the following is appropriate to be kept in an employee's personnel file?
a. Works comp claim info
b. Documents related to wage garnishment
c. Documentation of verbal warnings
d. Verification of eligibility to work in the US
Correct Answer: c. Documentation of verbal warnings
i. Everything related to employee performance should be kept in the per-sonnel
ii. Identity and work eli-
gibility is verified through USCIS i-9 employee eligi-bility verification form. I-9s
be kept separate from personnel files to al-low easy retrieval and to limit the
of an i-9 in-spection. iii. Wage garnishments (child support deductions) should
be kept in a personnel file because they could negatively influ-ence a future
evaluation or investigation decision. iv. Under the ADA, any
documentation containing medical information must be maintained in
files complete sep-arate from the general personnel file. Worker's comp claim
should be kept in a separate medical file with limited access as it could also
in-fluence employment deci-sions.
Question 6.
An employer may prevail in a dress code complaint regarding a female employee's need
to cover her head if it can show:
a. A loss of customer base due to the practice of its employees
b. That the cover presents a possible safety hazard
c. The practice discriminates against the male employ-ees
d. Is it outside the definition of "social norms"
Correct Answer: b. That the cover presents a possible safety hazard
i. A key defense in dis-crimination claim is "busi-ness necessity". When an
facially neutral employment practice dis-proportionately harms a protected
(ex. Mi-nority or women workers), the employees may sue for disparate impact
under Title VII. An employer whose prac-tice is found to dispro-portionately
a pro-tected class may avoid liability by proving that the challenged
practice is required by "business necessity". Maintaining a safe work-place is a
neces-sity.
Question 7.
Employee email communications riddled with offen-sive language, crude jokes, and sexual
pictures can create liability for a/an:
a. Improper use of email systems
b. First Amendment violation c. Defamation claim by recipients
d. Hostile work environment
Correct Answer: d. Hostile work environ-ment
, i. Hostile workplace sex-ual harassment is a form of sex discrimination un-
der the Title VII of the civil rights act. It includes such behavior as listed in the
ii. First Amendment only limits the governments' ability to suppress speech.
Amendment protec-tions do not apply to pri-vate sector employers iii.
are not liable of an employee's defama-tory behavior.
Question 8.
When revising its non-discrimination policy to add transgender identification, an
organization should also include a policy relating to:
a. Medical benefits
b. Personal safety
c. Privacy rights
d. The transition phase
Correct Answer: d. The transition phase
Question 9.
When an investigation reveals that an employee has stolen from the employer, and only a
performance-reg-ulated progressive discipline policy is in place, the em-ployer's best
action is to:
a. Terminate the employee immediately
b. Follow the progressive discipline policy - incorrect
c. Base a decision on the size of the loss
d. Allow the employee to repay the loss
Correct Answer: a. Terminate the employee immediately
i. A progressive disci-pline policy is a mul-ti-step process for cor-recting
or un-desirable behavior, usual-ly starting with a verbal
warning and ending with a termination. ii. Progressive discipline policies are
helpful because they offer con-structive feedback in a va-riety of correctable
that do not violate the company's core val-ues. They also help ensure more
discipline in similar situations across the organization and help set
iii. However, egregious be-havior that puts the com-pany at risk should be
immediately and outside of the progressive discipline process. iv. Theft is a
workplace misconduct that should result in termina-tion on the first offense.
v. In addition, if employ-ment is "at-will", employ-ers have the right to
someone with or without cause.
Question 10.
In a unionized workplace, a grievance is an allegation that: a. The union has failed to
appropriately apply dues
b. The employer has bargained in bad faith
c. An employees contract rights have been violated
d. An arbitrator is required to resolve the issue
Correct Answer: c. An employees contract rights have been violated
i. Grievance occurs when there is a dispute or dis-agreement between the
Union member and the employer regarding the application or inter-pretation of
Union con-tract or employment laws. ii. It provides opportuni-ty for untion and
