aPHR CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDES

aPHR CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDES “Human Resource Managment (HRM) - CORRECT ANSWER HRM consists of an organization's "people practices" - the policies, practices, and systems that influence employees' behavior, attitudes, and performance." "Explain how HRM contributes to an organization's performance - CORRECT ANSWER Through its practices or process, The HRM influences who works for the organization and how those people work. These human resources, if well managed, have the potential to be a source of sustainable competitive advantage, contributing to basic objectives such as quality, profits, and customer satisfaction." "Human Resource Information System (HRIS) - CORRECT ANSWER A computer system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve, and distribute information related to an organization's human resources" "HRIS purpose - CORRECT ANSWER Large quantities of employee data ( including training records, skills, compensation rates, and benefits usage and costs) can easily be stored." "Equal Employment Opportunity ( EEO) - CORRECT ANSWER The condition in which all individuals have an equal chance for employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin." "Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC) - CORRECT ANSWER Responsible for enforcing most of the EEO laws, including Title VII,mother Equal Pay Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To do this, the EEOC investigates and resolves complaints about discrimination, gathers information, and issues guidelines." "Occupational Safety and Health Act ( OSH Act) - CORRECT ANSWER US law authorizing the federal government to establish and enforce occupational safety and health standards for all places of employment engaging in interstate commerce. The OSH Act divided enforcement responsibilities between the Department of Labor (OSHA) and the Department of Health who is responsible for conducting research to determine the criteria for specific operations or occupations and for training employers to comply with the act. Much of the research is conducted by the NIOSH, National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health" "Employers Duties under the OSH Act - CORRECT ANSWER The act's general duty clause : -Each employer has a general duty to furnish each employees place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. ( as the main provision of the OSH Act states) -Employers must keep records of work-related injuries and illnesses and post an annual summary of these records from Feb 1 to April 30 in the following year even if no injuries or illnesses occurred. ( OSHA's Form 300A)" "Employees rights under OSH Act - CORRECT ANSWER Employees have the right to: -Request an inspection -Have a representative present at an inspection -Have dangerous substances identified -Be promptly informed about exposure to hazards and be given Acces to accurate records regarding exposure - Have employer violations posted at the work site" "Human Capital - CORRECT ANSWER An Organization's employees, described in terms of their training, experience, judgement, intelligence, relationships, and insight." "High Performance Work System - CORRECT ANSWER An organization in which technology, organizational structure, people, and processes work seamlessly to give an organization an advantage in the competitive environment." "Maintaining a High-Performance Work System may include: - CORRECT ANSWER -Development of training programs -Recruitment of people with new skill sets - Establishment of rewards for such behaviors as team work, flexibility, and learning" "Ratio of HR employees to total employees - CORRECT ANSWER 2 full time HR staff persons for every 100 employees on payroll. In small organizations the ratio is much higher" "Administrative role of HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Handling administrative tasks ( hiring employees, answering questions about benefits) efficiently and with a commitment to quality. This requires expertise in the particular task" "Business Partner role of HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Developing effective HR systems that help the org meet its goals attracting, keeping, and developing people with the skill it needs. For the systems to be effective, HR people must understand the business so it can understand what the business needs" "Strategic partner role - CORRECT ANSWER Contributing to the company's strategies through an understanding of its existing and needed HR and ways HR practices can give the company a competitive advantage. For strategic ideas to be effective, HR people must understand the business, it's industry, and its competitors" "New technologies influencing HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Internet portal, shared service centers, cloud computing, business intelligence, Data mining" "Internet Portal - CORRECT ANSWER Combines data from several sources into a singles site ; lets user customize data without programing skills ( a company's manager can track labor costs by work group)" "Shared service centers - CORRECT ANSWER Consolidate different HR functions into a single location; eliminate redundancy and reduce administrative costs; process all HR transactions at one time" "Cloud Computing, such as Application Service Providers (ASPs) - CORRECT ANSWER Let's companies rent space on a remote computer system and use the system's software to manage its HR activities, including security and upgrades. Access to cloud computing makes powerful HRIS tools available even to small organizations with limited computer hardware." "Business intelligence - CORRECT ANSWER Provides insight into business trends and patterns and helps businesses improve decisions ( managers use the system to analyze costs and productivity among different employee groups)" "Data mining - CORRECT ANSWER Uses powerful computers to analyze large amount of data, such as data about employee traits Pay and performance( managers can identify high- potential employees throughout a large organization and offer them development opportunities" "Recruiting - CORRECT ANSWER Any activity carried on by the organization with the primary purpose of identifying and attracting potential employees" "Goals of recruiting - CORRECT ANSWER Encouraging qualified people to apply for jobs" "Goals of Selection - CORRECT ANSWER Deciding which candidates would be the best fit" "Job Fairs - CORRECT ANSWER Events where many employers gather for a short time to meet large numbers of potential job applicants Job fairs are inexpensive means of generating an on-campus presence." "Industrial Engineering - CORRECT ANSWER The study of jobs to find the simplest way to structure work in order to maximize efficiency" "Job enlargement - CORRECT ANSWER Broadening the types of tasks performed in a job" "Job extension - CORRECT ANSWER Enlarging jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to for a job with a wider range of tasks" "Job rotation - CORRECT ANSWER Enlarging jobs by moving employees among several different jobs" "Job enrichment - CORRECT ANSWER Empowering workers by adding more decision making authority to jobs" "Flextime - CORRECT ANSWER A scheduling policy in which full time employees may choose starting and ending times within guidelines specified by the organization" "Job sharing - CORRECT ANSWER A work option in which two part time employees carry out the tasks associated with a single job" "Telework or Telecommuting - CORRECT ANSWER Means doing one's work away from a centrally located office" "Ergonomics - CORRECT ANSWER The study of the interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment" "Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) - CORRECT ANSWER A standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194,questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs" "Flesh an Job Analysis System - CORRECT ANSWER Job analysis technique that asks subject matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform" "Competency - CORRECT ANSWER An area of personal capability that enables employees to perform their work successfullyb" "Recruitment - CORRECT ANSWER The process through which the organization seeks applicants for potential employment" "Selection - CORRECT ANSWER The process by which the organization attempts to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals" "Top 5 qualities employers look for in employees - CORRECT ANSWER 1)- Teamwork Skills 2)- Verbal Communications Skills 3)- Decision Making, Problem Solving 4)- Gathering / Processing information 5)- Planning/ Prioritizing Tasks" "Training - CORRECT ANSWER A planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior" "Development - CORRECT ANSWER The acquisition of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that improve an employees ability to meet changes in job requirements and in customer demands" "Performance Management - CORRECT ANSWER The process of ensuring that employees' activities and output match the organization's goals." "Compensation and benefits - CORRECT ANSWER This function includes Wage and salary administration, incentive pay, insurance, vacation leave administration, retirement plans, profit sharing, stock plans" "Employee Relations - CORRECT ANSWER Preparing and distributing employee handbooks, company publications, answer questions about benefits and company policy, address problems between employees and supervisors, communication with union representatives" "Workforce analytics - CORRECT ANSWER The use of quantitative tools and scientific methods to analyze data from human resource databases and other sources to make evidence-based decisions that support business goals." "Organizational Strategy - CORRECT ANSWER Organization's plan for meeting broad goals such as profitability , quality, and market share" "How HR supports the organization's strategy - CORRECT ANSWER Understanding the organization's business operations, projecting how business trends might affect the business,reinforcing positive aspects of the organization's culture, developing talent for present and future needs, crafting effective HR strategies, effective human resource planning" "Human Resource Planning - CORRECT ANSWER Identifying the numbers and types of employees the organization will require to meet its objectives." "Forecasting - CORRECT ANSWER The attempts to determine the supply of and demand for various types of human resources to predict areas within the organization where there will be labor shortages or surpluses" "Trend analysis - CORRECT ANSWER Constructing and applying statistical models that predict labor demand for the next year, given relatively objectives statistics from the previous year" "Leading indicators - CORRECT ANSWER Objective measures that accurately predict future labor demand" "Transitional Matrix - CORRECT ANSWER Statistical procedure to determine labor supply A chart that lists job categories held in one period and shows the proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period" "Core Competency - CORRECT ANSWER A set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers" "Options for reducing a surplus - CORRECT ANSWER Downsizing, pay reductions, demotions, transfers, work sharing, hiring freeze, natural attrition, early retirement, retraining" "Options for avoiding a shortage - CORRECT ANSWER Overtime, temporary employees, outsourcing, retrained transfers, turnover reductions, new external hires, technological innovations" "Workforce Utilization Review - CORRECT ANSWER A comparison of the proportion of employees in protected groups with the proportion that each group represents in the relevant labor market" "Talent Management - CORRECT ANSWER A systematic, planned effort to attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly skilled employees and managers" "Evidence-based HR - CORRECT ANSWER Collecting and using data to show that human resources practices have a positive influence on the company's bottom line or key stakeholders (employees, customers, community, and shareholders)" "Sustainability - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's ability to profit without depleting its resources, including employees, natural resources, and the support of the surrounding community" "Stakeholders - CORRECT ANSWER The parties with an interest in the company's 'success ( shareholders, community, customers, and employees )" "HRM professionals' skills - CORRECT ANSWER Successful Members of The Human Resource department must be able to share information, build relationships, and influence persons inside and outside the company. The HR department needs to bring together a large pool of skills. These skills fall into six basic functions: 1-Credible activists, 2-cultural and change steward, 3-talent managers/ organizational designers, 4-strategic architects, 5-business allies, 6-operational executors . All of these competencies require interpersonal skills." "HR responsibilities of supervisors - CORRECT ANSWER Supervisors typically have responsibilities related to all the HR functions. They help define jobs ( job analysis and design) Forecast HR needs( HR planning) Provide training Interview ( and select ) candidates Appraise performance Recommend increases and promotions Communicate policies Motivate, with support from pay, benefits, and other rewards" "HRM Process/ practices - CORRECT ANSWER 1) Analysis and Design of work 2) HR planning 3) Recruitment 4) Selection 5)Training and development 6)Compensation 7)Performance Management 8) Employee Relations" "Human Resources qualities valuable to the success of organizations - CORRECT ANSWER 1) Human Resources are VALUABLE- high-quality employees provide a needed service as they perform many critical functions. 2) Human Resources are RARE- a person with high levels of the needed skills and knowledge is not common 3) Human Resources CANNOT BE IMITATED - 4) Human Resources have NO GOOD SUBSTITUTES" "Ethics - CORRECT ANSWER The fundamental principles of right and wrong. Ethical behavior is behavior that is consistent with those principles." "HR Ethics and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) - CORRECT ANSWER Reduce the likelihood of illegal and unethical behaviors by : -- Having a written Code Of ethics and conduct standards --Providing ethical behavior training and advice -- Establishing confidential reporting systems for ethical misconduct -- Providing whistle-blower protection --Supporting HR's role as "keeper and voice" of organization's ethics" "Employees Rights/ Kant's Human Rights - CORRECT ANSWER - Right of free consent - Right of Privacy - Right of freedom of conscience - Right of Freedom of speech - Right to due process" "Standards for ethical HR practices - CORRECT ANSWER 1) HRM practices must result in the greatest good for the largest number of people 2) employment practices must respect basic human rights of privacy, due process, consent and free speech 3) managers must treat employees and customers equitable and fairly" "Labor Force - CORRECT ANSWER Is a general way to refer to all the people willing and able to work" "Internal Labor Force - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's workers ( it's employees and the people who have contracts to work at the organization)" "External Labor Market - CORRECT ANSWER Individuals who are actively seeking employment" "High Performance Work Systems - CORRECT ANSWER Organizations that have the best possible fit between their social system ( people and how they interact) and technical system (equipment and processes )" "Summarize Areas in which HRM can support the goal of creating a high performance work system - CORRECT ANSWER Reliance on knowledge workers, empowerment of employees to make decisions, and use of teamwork. Recruiting and selection decisions are especially important for organization's that rely on knowledge workers. Job design and appropriate systems for assessment and rewards have a central role in supporting employee empowerment and teamwork" "Knowledge workers - CORRECT ANSWER Employees whose main contribution to the organization is specialized knowledge, such as knowledge of customers, a process, or a profession" "Employee Empowerment - CORRECT ANSWER Giving employees responsibility and authority to make decisions regarding all aspects of product development or customer sevice" "Employee Engagement - CORRECT ANSWER Full involvement in one's work and commitment to one's job and company. Is associated with higher productivity, better customer service, and lower turnover" "Teamwork - CORRECT ANSWER The assignment of work to groups of employees with various skills who interact to assemble a product or provide a service" "Business strategy: issues affecting HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Total Quality Management Mergers and Acquisitions Reengineering International Expansion Downsizing Outsourcing" "Total Quality Management TQM - CORRECT ANSWER A company wide effort to continually improve the ways people, machines, and systems accomplish work" "Outsourcing - CORRECT ANSWER The practice of having another company ( a vendor, third-party provider, or consultant) provide services" "Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) - CORRECT ANSWER The processing and transmission of digitized HR information, especially using computer networking and the Internet" "how eHRM affects traditional HRM functions - CORRECT ANSWER Electronic HRM applications let employees enroll in and participate in training programs online. Employees can go online and select from items in a benefits package and enroll in the benefits they choose. They can look up answers to HR related questions and read company's news, perhaps downloading it as a podcast. Employees in different geographic areas can work together Companies can search for talent without geographic limitations Recruiting can include online job postings, applications, and candidate screening from the company's website or the websites of companies that specialize in online recruiting. Employees from different geographic locations can all receive the same training over the company's computer network" "HRM applications for Social networking - CORRECT ANSWER Creative organizations are applying social networking tools to HRM Foe example: --Sites for capturing, sharing, storing knowledge are good for preserving knowledge that otherwise could be lost when employees retire. --Online surveys to gather employees' opinions, increase employees' engagement with the jobs and the organization -Networking tools to create online expert communities, identify employees expertise and make it available to those who can apply it. -Online discussions, such as commenting tools, promote creativity and innovation -Sites where users can post links to articles, webinars, training programs, and other information, reinforce lessons learned during training and on-the-job experience -Instant messaging and other communication tools to use with mentors and coaches, provide employee development through mentoring and coaching -Site where the HR department posts job openings and responds to candidates' questions, helps to identify and connect with promising job candidates" "e-HRM privacy - CORRECT ANSWER Most of HR information is confidential and privacy is an important issue in e-HRM. With any e-HRM app the organization must ensure that it has sufficient security measures in place to secure employees privacy. One solution is to set Up e-HRM on a INTRANET, which is a network that uses Internet tools but limits access to authorized users in the organization" "Self- Service - CORRECT ANSWER System in which employees have online access to information about HR issues such as training, benefits, compensation, contracts, and go online to enroll themselves in programs and provide feedback through surveys" "Alternative work arrangements - CORRECT ANSWER Methods of staffing other than the traditional hiring of full-time employees. The following methods are the most common: - Independent contractors, self employed individuals with multiple clients - On-call workers, persons who work for an organization only when they are needed - Temporary workers, are employed by a temporary agency; client organization's pay the agency for the services of these workers - Contract company workers, employed directly by a company for a specific time specified in a written contract" "How the three branches of government regulate HRM - CORRECT ANSWER -The Legislative branch- develops laws such as those governing equal employment opportunity and worker safety and health -The executive branch- including the many regulatory agencies that the president oversees, is responsible for enforcing the laws passes by congress ( from drawing up regulation detailing how to abide by the law, to filing suits against alleged violators. I'm addition, the president may issue executive orders - The judicial branch- the federal court system- influences employment law by interpreting the law and holding trials concerning violations of the law" "What Constitutional Amendments have implications for HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Two amendments to the US Constitution, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth, have implications for HRM. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States and the Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states from taking life, liberty, or property without due process of law and prevents the states from denying equal protection of the laws. This only applies to the decisions or actions of the government or of private groups whose activities are deemed government actions" "Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures - CORRECT ANSWER Guidelines issued by the EEOC and other agencies to identify how an organization should develop and administer its system for selecting employees so as to not violate anti discrimination laws" "Where EEOC posters should be displayed by an employer? - CORRECT ANSWER In prominent and accessible locations ( in the cafeteria or near its time clock." "How long should employers keep documents related to employment decisions? - CORRECT ANSWER Employers must keep these records for at least 6 months or until a complaint is resolved, whichever is later." "Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) - CORRECT ANSWER The agency responsible for enforcing the executive orders that cover companies doing business with the federal government" "Written affirmative-action plan Components - CORRECT ANSWER 1- utilization analysis - a comparison of the race, sex, and ethnic composition of the employer's workforce with that of the available labor supply. The percentage in the employer's workforce should not be greatly lower than the percentages in the labor supply 2- goals and timetables- The percentages of women and minorities the organization seeks to employ in each job group, and the dates by which the percentages are to be attained. The only requirement is that the employer have goals and be seeking to achieve the goals 3- Action steps- a plan for how the organization will meet its goals. Besides working towards its goals of hiring women and minorities, the company must take affirmative steps to hiring Vietnam veterans and individuals with disabilities" "The government role in providing for Equal Employment Opportunity - CORRECT ANSWER EEO requires that employers comply with EEO laws. To enforce those laws, the executive branch of the federal government uses the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs OFCCP" "EEO-1 Report - CORRECT ANSWER The EEOC also monitors organizations's hiring practices. Each year organization's that are government contractors or subcontractors or have 100 or more employees must file an Employer Information Report (EEO-1) with the EEOC. The EEO-1 Report is an online questionnaire requesting the number of employees in each job category ( such as managers, professionals, and laborers ) broken down by their status as male or female, Hispanic or non-Hispanic, and members of various racial groups" "Thirteenth Amendment - CORRECT ANSWER Abolished slavery, covers all individuals, enforced by the Court System" "Fourteenth Amendment - CORRECT ANSWER Provides equal protection for all citizens and requires due process in state action. Covers State actions ( e.g., decisions of government organizations ) enforced by the court system" "Civil Rights Acts ( CRAs) of 1866 and 1871 (as amended) - CORRECT ANSWER Grant all citizens the right to make, perform, modify, and terminate contracts and enjoy all benefits, terms and conditions of the contractual relationship. Covers all individuals. Enforced by the court system" "Equal Pay Act of 1963 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires that men and women performing equal jobs receive equal pay. Covers employers engaged in interstate commerce. Enforced by the EEOC" "Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ( Title VII) - CORRECT ANSWER Forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Covers employers with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year; labor unions; and employment agencies. EEOC enforced" "Executive Order 11246 - CORRECT ANSWER issued by Lindon Johnson, prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. In addition, employers whose contracts meet minimum size requirements must engage in affirmative action to ensure against discrimination. Those receiving more than 10,000 from federal gov must take affirmative action and those with contracts exceeding 50,000 must develop a written affirmative action plan for each of their establishments Enforced by OFCCP" "Executive Order 11478 - CORRECT ANSWER Issued by Richard Nixon, requires the federal gov to base all its employment policies on merit and fitness. It's specifies that race, color, sex, religion, and national origin may not be considered. Covers the gov and contractors and subcontractors doing at least 10,000 worth of business with the federal gov The US Office of Personnel Management enforced" "Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ( ADEA) - CORRECT ANSWER Prohibits discrimination in employment against individuals 40 years of age and older. Covers employers with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year; labor unions; employment agencies; federal government EEOC enforced" "Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires affirmative action in the employment of individuals with disabilities. Covers government agencies, federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts greater than $2500 annually OFCCP enforced" "Affirmative Action - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group" "Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - CORRECT ANSWER Treats discrimination based on pregnancy-related conditions as illegal sex discrimination. Covers all employees covered by Tittle VII EEOC enforced" "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - CORRECT ANSWER Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all employments practices, such as job application procedures, hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, and training. Other employment activities covered by the ADA are employment advertising, recruitment, tenure, layoff, leave, and fringe benefits The ADA require that employers take steps to accommodate individuals covered under the act Covers employers with more than 15 employees EEOC" "Disability - CORRECT ANSWER The ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more mayor life activities, a record of having such an impairment,more being regarded as having such an impairment" "Executive Order 11246 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires affirmative action in hiring women and minorities Covers federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts greater than $10,000 OFCCP" "Civil Rights Act of 1991(CRA 1991) - CORRECT ANSWER Same as Title VII, prohibits discrimination with the addition of compensatory and punitive damages to employment discrimination cases EEOC" "Maximum punitive damages allowed under CRA 1991 - CORRECT ANSWER 14 to 100 employees-----$50,000 101 to 200 " -----———. $100,000 201 to 500 —. $200,000 More than 500 --------- 300,000" "Business' Role in providing for EEO - CORRECT ANSWER Most companies recognize the importance of complying with anti-discrimination laws. Expert HR professionals can help in identifying how to comply and take steps to avoid discrimination and provide reasonable accommodation" "Job Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER The process of getting detailed information about jobs" "Work Flow Design - CORRECT ANSWER The process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service" "Job - CORRECT ANSWER A set of related duties" "Position - CORRECT ANSWER A set of duties performed by a particular person" "Job Description - CORRECT ANSWER A list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) that a particular job entails" "Job Specification - CORRECT ANSWER A list if the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that an individual must have to perform a particular job" "Job Design - CORRECT ANSWER The process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires" "Types of discrimination - CORRECT ANSWER Disparate Treatment, Disparate Impact or Adverse Effect" "Disparate Treatment - CORRECT ANSWER Treating one group different than other based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability status" "Bona Fide Occupational Qualification BFOQ - CORRECT ANSWER A necessary ( not merely preferred) qualification for performing a job" "Disparate Impact or Adverse Effect - CORRECT ANSWER When a policy or procedure has a negative effect on a protected group. A commonly used test of disparate impact is the Four-Fifths Rule" "Four-fifths Rule - CORRECT ANSWER Rule of thumb that finds evidence of potential discrimination if an organization's hiring rate ( not numbers of employees hired) for a minority group is less than four-fifths the hiring rate for the majority group 1) find the rates : divide #hired by #applicants of each group 2) compare the rates" "Difference between Disparate Treatment and Disparate Impact - CORRECT ANSWER The role of the employer's intent." "EEO Policy - CORRECT ANSWER Employers can avoid discrimination and defend against claims of discrimination by establishing and enforcing an EEO Policy. The policy should define and prohibit unlawful behaviors, as well as provide procedures for making and investigate complaints. The policy should also require that employees at all levels engage in fair conduct and respectful language." "Affirmative Action and Reverse Discrimination - CORRECT ANSWER When organizations engaged in affirmative action allegedly discriminate white or male candidates by increasing the proportions of minorities or female candidates hired or promoted" "Reasonable Accommodation - CORRECT ANSWER An employer's obligation to do something to enable an otherwise qualified person to perform a job. An accommodation is considered "reasonable" if it does not impose an undue hardship on the employer, such as an expense that is large in relation to a company's resources." "Examples of Reasonable Accommodations under the ADA - CORRECT ANSWER Making facilities accessible, modifying work schedules, Acquiring or modifying equipment, providing qualified readers or interpreters, etc..." "Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) - CORRECT ANSWER Requires rehiring of employees who are absent for military service, with training and accommodation as needed. Covers veterans and members of reserve components Enforced by Veterans' Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor" "Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 ( GINA) - CORRECT ANSWER Prohibits discrimination because of genetic information Covers employers with 15 or more employees EEOC" "Valuing Diversity - CORRECT ANSWER The practice of valuing diversity has no single form. It is not written into a law or business theory. Some organizations that practice " valuing diversity"define a diverse workforce as a competitive advantage that brings them a wider pool of talent and a greater insight into the needs and behaviors of their diverse customers." "Employees Responsibilities - CORRECT ANSWER - employees have to follow OSHA's safety rules and regulations governing employee behavior. - employees have a duty to report hazardous conditions" "Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA) - CORRECT ANSWER Labor Department agency responsible for inspecting employers, applying safety and health standards, and levying fines for violations" "Right-to-Know Laws - CORRECT ANSWER State laws that require employers to provide employees with information about the health risks associated with exposure to substances considered hazardous" "Material Safety Data Sheets ( MSDSs) - CORRECT ANSWER Forms on which chemical manufacturers and importers identify the hazards of their chemicals" "Impact of the OSH Act - CORRECT ANSWER The OSH Act has unquestionable succeeded in raising the level of awareness of occupational safety" "Job Hazard Analysis Technique - CORRECT ANSWER Safety promotion technique that involves breaking down a job into basic elements, then rating each element for its potential for harm or injury" "Technique of Operations Review TOR - CORRECT ANSWER Method of promoting safety by determining which specific element of a job led to a past accident" "Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) - CORRECT ANSWER Federal law that increased the responsibility of pension plan trustees to protect retirees , established certain rights related to vesting ( earning a right to receive the pension ) and portability ( being able to move retirement savings when changing employers) , and created the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation" "Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation ( PBGC) - CORRECT ANSWER Federal agency that insures retirement benefits and guarantees retirees a basic benefit if the employer experiences financial difficulties" "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - CORRECT ANSWER In 2010, Congress passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health care reform law that includes incentives and penalties for employers providing health insurance as a benefit." "Method to calculate turnover - CORRECT ANSWER The generally accepted method to calculate turnover is to divide the nunber of employees who left the organization in a given month by the average number of individuals on payrool duringvthat minth" "National Labor Relations Act ( NLRA) - CORRECT ANSWER Federal law that support collective bargaining and sets out the rights of employees to form unions" "Activities Protected By the NLRA - CORRECT ANSWER Under the National Labor Relations Act, most private sector employees have the right to: Organize a union to negotiate with employers concerning wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. -Form, join or assist a union. - Bargain collectively through representatives of employees' own choosing for a contract setting wages, benefits, hours, and other working conditions. - Discuss terms and conditions of employment or union organizing with co-workers or a union. -Engage in protected concerted activities with one or more co-workers to improve wages, benefits and other working conditions. -Choose not to do any of these activities, including joining or remaining a member of a union." "Employees not covered by the NLRA - CORRECT ANSWER Most employees in the private sector are covered by the NLRA. However, workers employed under the following conditions are not covered: Employed as a supervisor Employed by a parent or spouse Employed as an independent contractor Employed in the domestic service of any person or family in a home Employed as agriculture laborers Employed by an employer subject to the Railway Labor Act Employed by a federal, state, or local government Employed by any other person who is not an employer as defined in the NLRA." "Laws amending the NLRA - CORRECT ANSWER Originally, the NLRA did not list any unfair labor practices by unions. In later amendments to the NLRA- The Taft-Harley Act of 1947 and the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959- congress established some restrictions on Union practices deemed unfair to employers and union members" "Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 - CORRECT ANSWER Unions may not restrain employers though actions such as following: -Mass picketing in such numbers that nonstriking employees physically cannot enter the workplace - Engaging in violent acts in connection with a strike - Threatening employees with physical injury or job loss if they do not support Union activities" "Right-to-Work Laws - CORRECT ANSWER state laws that make Union shops, maintenance of membership, and agency shops illegal ( because that restricts the employees' right to freedom of association" "Handling of complains regarding unfair labor practices - CORRECT ANSWER It begins when someone files a charge. The deadline for filing a charge is 6 months after the alleged unfair practice. All parties must be served with a copy of the charge. (Registered mail is recommended ) The charge is investigated by a regional office" "Which document fulfills all requirements when completing an I-9 form? - CORRECT ANSWER U.S. Passport, (Form I-9 requires that an employer verify both a new hire's identity and legal right to work in the U.S." ""Third Shift" - CORRECT ANSWER The hours between 12:00 midnight to 8:00 AM beacuse these are the hours that the majority of people are at home sleeping, organizations frequentlyvoffer additional pay ( known as " shift diferential" ) to attract employees to work these non-standard hours." "Glass-ceiling effect - CORRECT ANSWER Refers to an invisible barrier which appears to limit the growth of women above a certain level within the organization" ""Glass ceiling Initiatives - CORRECT ANSWER Efforts to address the "glass ceiling effect"" "Elements included in The Metrics for assessing a program - CORRECT ANSWER 1-Quantity ( volume) 2-Quality ( error or success rate) 3-Time (on time or the time to complete) 4- Money ( cost or revenue generated) 5- Satisfaction ( of the users)" "The three levels of metrics - CORRECT ANSWER Impact, effectiveness, efficiency" "Metrics you can collect and track - CORRECT ANSWER 1-Output ( unites produced, items sold, forms processed, productivity, tasks completed, new accounts generated) 2- Cost ( unit costs, variable costs, project cost savings, sales expenses, accident costs, operating costs, ) 3- Time ( processing time, learning time, meeting schedules, hiring for a position, time to project completion) 4- Quality ( error rates, shortages, product defects, scrap, waste, rejects, product failures, time card corrections , % of tasks completed properly, # of accidents) 5- Work Habits ( absenteeism, tardiness, visits to the dispensary, first aid treatments, violations of safety rules, excessive breaks, follow-up) 6- Work Climate/ Satisfaction ( # of grievances, # of discrimination charges, employee complaints, job satisfaction, employee turnover, litigation, organization commitment, employee loyalty,increased confidence) 7- Customer Service ( complaints, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, impressions, loyalty, retention, customer value, lost customer) 8- Employee Development/Advancement ( # of promotions, # of pay increases, # of learning programs , attended, requests for transfer, performance appraisal ratings, increases in job effectiveness) 9- Initiative/ Innovation ( implementation of new ideas, successful completion of projects, number of suggestions implemented, new products and services, developed, new patents and copyrights ) initiative/innovation" "Personnel Policies relevant to recruitment - CORRECT ANSWER -Internal vs external recruiting -Lead-the- Market Pay Strategies - Employment-at-Will policies - Image advertising" "Internal vs external recruiting - CORRECT ANSWER :organization's with policies to "promote from within " try to fill upper-level vacancies by recruiting ca dictates internally. Opportunities for advancement make a job more attractive to applicants and employees. Decisions about internal vs external recruiting affect the nature of jobs, recruitment sources, and the nature of applicants" "Lead-the-Market Pay Strategies - CORRECT ANSWER Organizations have a recruiting advantage if their policy is to take a "lead-the-market" approach to pay , that is pay more than the current market wages for a job. Higher pay can also make up for a job's less desirable features , such as working on a night shift or in dangerous conditions. Organizations that compete for applicants based on pay may use other forms of pay besides wages and salary like bonuses, stock options, etc" "Employment-at-will - CORRECT ANSWER Employment principle that if there is no specific employment contract saying otherwise, the employer or employee may end an employment relationship at any time, regardless of cause" "Due-process policies - CORRECT ANSWER Policies that formally lay out the steps an employee may take to appeal the employer's decision to terminate that employee Job applicants are more attracted to organizations with due-process policies, which imply greater job security and concern for protecting employees, than to organization's with employment-at-will policies" "Image Advertising - CORRECT ANSWER Advertising designed to create a generally favorable impression of the organization. Besides advertising specific job openings, organizations may advertise themselves as a good place to work in general. Is particularly important for organization's in highly competitive labor markets that perceive themselves as having a bad image. The image of an organization's brand ( innovative, dynamic, fun) influences the degree to which a person feels attracted to the organization." "Job Posting - CORRECT ANSWER The process of communicating information about a job vacancy on company bulletin boards, employee publications, on corporate intranets, and anywhere else the organization communicates with employees" "Internal sources advantages for the employer - CORRECT ANSWER - Generates applicants who are well known to the organization - Applicants are relatively knowledgeable about the organization's vacancies, which minimizes unrealistic expectations about the job - Is generally cheaper and faster than looking outside of the organization - increases employee loyalty - boosts productivity and profitability" "External Sources - CORRECT ANSWER When organizations recruit externally. For entry level positions or specialized upper-level positions. The most used sources are : direct applicants and referrals, advertisements, employment agencies, schools and websites" "Direct Applicants - CORRECT ANSWER People who apply for a vacancy without prompting from the organization" "Referrals - CORRECT ANSWER People who apply for a vacancy because someone in the organization prompted them to do so" "Best sources of new hires - CORRECT ANSWER Referrals and Direct applicants Lower cost than formal recruiting efforts, "self-selection" process direct applicants are to some extent already sold on the org, when current employees ( who are familiar with the vacancy and the person they are referring) refer friends or relatives" "Referrals cons - CORRECT ANSWER -Limit the likelihood of exposing the organization to fresh viewpoints. People tend to refer others who are like themselves - sometimes contribute to hiring practices that are or appear to be unfair, for example nepotism" "Nepotism - CORRECT ANSWER The practice of hiring relatives" "Electronic Recruiting - CORRECT ANSWER Posting career information at company websites to address people who are interested in the particular company ( this works best for big, well known companies) and posting paid advertisements at career services to attract people who are searching for jobs. job boards large sites like monster and Careerbuilder are widely used. Also Small, more tailored websites called " Niche Boards" focus on certain industries" "Advertising in Newspapers and Magazines - CORRECT ANSWER When the goal is to find people w know the local community, advertising in the local newspaper can reach that audience. Similarly, when the goal is to find people in a specialized field, advertising in a trade p, professional, or industry publication can reach the right pool of job candidates." "Public employment Agencies - CORRECT ANSWER The Social Security Act of 1935 requires that everyone receiving unemployment compensation be registered with a local state employment office. These state unemployment offices work with the U.S. Employment Service (USES) to try to ensure that unemployed individuals eventually get off state aid and get back on employer payrolls. To accomplish this, agencies collect information from the unemployed people about their skills and experience Employers can register their job vacancies with their local state employment office . The agency refers candidates at no charge" "Private employment Agencies - CORRECT ANSWER Private agencies serve the white-collar labor market . Private agencies charge the employers for providing referrals Are a more suitable source for certain kinds of applicants than public agencies Executive Search Firm (ESF) or head hunters for managers or professionals" "Colleges and universities - CORRECT ANSWER Most colleges and universities have placement services tha seek to help their graduates obtain employment. On-campus interviewing is the most important source of recruits for entry-level professional and managerial vacancies. Organization's tend to focus especially on colleges. That have strong reputation in areas for which they have critical needs -One of the best ways to establish a stronger presence on a campus is with a college internship program. These programs give an org early access to potential applicants and let the organization asses their capabilities directly. Internships also give applicants firsthand experience with the employer, so both parties can make well-informed decisions about fit when it comes time to considere long term commitment -Another way of increasing employer's presence on campus is to participate in universities job fairs job" "Evaluating the quality of a source - CORRECT ANSWER It is wise for employers to monitor the quality of all their recruitment sources. One way to do this is to develop and compare YIELD RATIOS for each source. By comparing the yield ratios of different recruitment sources, HR professionals can determine which source is the best or most efficient fir the type of vacancy. Another measure of recruitment success is the COST PER HIRE" "Yield Ratio - CORRECT ANSWER A ratio that expresses the percentage of applicants who successfully move from one stage of the recruitment and selection process to the next. ( # interviews divided by # of resumes= %of interviews generated by a source)" "Cost per Hire - CORRECT ANSWER The cost of using a particular recruitment source for a particular type of vacancy divided by the number of people hired to fill that type of vacancy. A lost cost per hire means that the recruitment source is efficient, it delivers qualified candidates at minimal cost The cost per hire is not simply related to the type of recruiting method. These costs also tend to vary by industry and organization size. Small companies' cost is much higher than big companies. One reason for that is that small companies have fewer recruiters in-house, so they are likelier to hire outside at a higher cost. Comparing industries, manufacturers pay the highest cost per hire, because finding individuals with knowledge of the relevant equipment of software is more difficult than finding employees with standard kinds of certification,." "Recruiter Traits and Behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER The recruiter affects the nature of both the job vacancy and the applicants generated. However since the recruiter often becomes involved late in the recruitment process, by the time a recruiter meets some applicants, they have already made up their minds about what they desire in a job, what the vacant job has to offer, and their likelihood of receiving a job offer. Many applicants approach the recruiter with some skepticism knowing is the recruiters job to sell them the vacancy. When candidates are already familiar with the company through knowing about its products, the recruiter's impact is especially weak For these and other reasons , recruiters characteristics and behaviors seem to have limited impact on applicants' job choices" "Characteristics of the Recruiter - CORRECT ANSWER Most organization's must choose whether their recruiters are specialists in HR or at particular jobs. According to some studies, applicants perceive HR specialist as less credible and are less attracted to jobs when recruiters are HR specialists. This indicated that HR specialists need to take extra steps to ensure That applicants perceive them as knowledgeable and credible. In general, applicants respond positively to recruiters who are warm ( meaning that the recruiter seems to care about the applicant and to be enthusiastic about the applicants potential to contribute to the org) and informative ( meaning the recruiter provides the kind of information the applicant is seeking. The evidence of impact of other characteristics such as their age, race, and sex is complex and inconsistent" "Behavior of the Recruiter - CORRECT ANSWER Recruiters affect results not only by providing plenty of information, but by providing the right kind of information. In reality, for affecting whether people choose to take a jo, but even more so, whether they stick with a job, the recruiter seems less important than an organization's personnel policies that directly affects the job's features ( pay, security, advancement opportunities,and so on )!" "Steps to increase the positive impact of recruiters on candidates - CORRECT ANSWER - Recruiters should provide timely feedback -Recruiters should avoid offensive behavior - The organization can recruit with teams rather than individual recruiters" "Realistic Job Preview - CORRECT ANSWER Background information about a job's positive and negative qualities" "Business goals impacted directly by Metrics - CORRECT ANSWER - Increase a manager's bonus - Increase the share price - increase profit - increase revenue - Increase product innovation - Increase brand value - increase market share - Decrease time to market - Have a high ROI ( Return on Investment )" "Return On Investment - ROI - CORRECT ANSWER A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. ROI measures the amount of return on an investment relative to the investment's cost. To calculate ROI, the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment, and the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio." "The return on investment (ROI) formula: - CORRECT ANSWER ROI= (Gain from investment - cost of investment )divided by cost of Investment In the above formula, "Gain from Investment" refers to the proceeds obtained from the sale of the investment of interest. Because ROI is measured as a percentage, it can be easily compared with returns from other investments, allowing one to measure a variety of types of investments against one another." "Benchmarks - CORRECT ANSWER A measurement tool that gathers ratings of manager's use of skills associated with success in managing" "Unit Cost to fill a vacancy - CORRECT ANSWER Cost of covering a vacant position + Cost to fill a vacant position + On boarding and orientation cost + Cost of productivity ramp up _______________________________ Unit cost for filling a vacancy" "Calculating benchmark employee cost - CORRECT ANSWER (Departing employee annual base salary + calculated annual benefits costs) divided by 12 months= calculated monthly salary +!benefits Or divided by working days = calculated daily salary + benefits" "Cost of "covering " a vacant position ( calculated costs of other employees "filling in" while the position is vacant) - CORRECT ANSWER #of days until vacant position is filled x 33% of departing employees daily salary +benefits = total cost to cover vacant position" "Fringe Rate - CORRECT ANSWER A fringe benefit rate is the cost of an employee's benefits divided by the wages paid to an employee for the hours working on the job" "Cost to fill a vacant position - CORRECT ANSWER Calculated HR /hiring manager's hourly rate ( salary+benefits) + cost of advertising + cost of resume screening ( # manager hours x hourly rate) + Cost of interviews (# manager hours x hourly rate) + Cost of behavioral and skills assessments + Cost of background checks ( criminal, credit, reference, education) + Cost of travel/ moving expenses ( if applicable) _______________________________________________________________ Total cost to fill a vacant position" "On Boarding and Orientation Cost - CORRECT ANSWER Calculated trainer/manager daily rate X Total training days _______________________ Total on boarding and orientation cost" "Cost of Productivity ramp-up - CORRECT ANSWER Calculated daily employee cost ( salary+benefits) X # of working days during first three months ________________________________ Cost of productivity ramp-up (During the first 3 months, an average new employee performs at 50% productivity of a tenured top performing employee" "Grievance - CORRECT ANSWER an official statement of a complaint over something believed to be wrong or unfair." "Grievance Rate - CORRECT ANSWER Description: The average number of grievances filed internally per employee. Commentary: A result of 1% means that one grievance was filed for every 100 employees in headcount during the period. Formula: (Grievances / Average Headcount) * 100" "HR Metric: External Complaint Factor - CORRECT ANSWER HR Metric: External Complaint Factor Description: The average number of complaints to external agencies recorded per employee. Commentary: External complaints are typically those filed with agencies such as, in the United States, OSHA or a state department of equal employment opportunity. Lawsuits filed by employees against the employer are also considered to be external complaints, as they are complaints requiring employer action toward an external party. Formula: (External Agency Complaints / Average Headcount) * 100" "HR Analytics - CORRECT ANSWER Type of assessment of HR effectiveness that involves determining the impact of, or the financial cost and benefits of, a program or practice" "HRM Audit - CORRECT ANSWER A formal review of the outcomes of HRM functions, based on identifying key HRM functions and measures of business performance" "Cloud computing - CORRECT ANSWER The practice of using a network or remote service hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data" "HR Dashboard - CORRECT ANSWER A display of a series of HR measures , showing Human Resource goals and objectives and progress towards meeting them" "Steps in the selection process - CORRECT ANSWER 1- Screening Applications and resumes- 2- Testing and reviewing work samples 3- interviewing candidates 4- Check references and background 5- Making a selection" "Communicating the decision - CORRECT ANSWER When a a candidate has been selected, the organization should communicate the offer to the candidate. The offer should include: - job responsibilities - work schedule - rate of pay - starting date -other relevantvdetails" "E-verify - CORRECT ANSWER E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility." "Form I-9 - CORRECT ANSWER Is a free, mandatory Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers are responsible for completing and retaining Form I-9 Employers may be fined if the form is not complete I-9 Form is made up of three sections It is illegal to discriminate against any work-authorized individual in hiring, discharge, recruitment or referral for a fee, or in the employment eligibility verification ( Form I-9 and E-Verify) process based on that individual's citizenship status, immigration status, or national origin. Employers CANNOT specIfy which docs they will accept from an employee. The refusal to hire an individual because the documentation presented has a future expiration date may also constitute illegal discrimination." "Form I-9 Section 1 - CORRECT ANSWER Must be completed and signed by new hired employee no later than the first day of employment. This section should never be completed before the employee has accepted a job offer Providing your social security number is voluntary. However if York employer participates in E-Verify, you must provide your social security number" "Form I-9 Section 2 - CORRECT ANSWER Before completing section2' employers must ensure that section 1 is completed and on time Employers must complete section 2 by examining evidence of identity and employment authorization within 3 business days of the employee first day of employment. However,Mir an employer hires an individual for less than 3 business days, section 2 must be completed no later than the first day of employment. An employer may complete Form I-9 before the first day of employment if the employer has offered the individual a job and the individual has accepted. Employers or their authorized representative must: 1. Physically examine each original document the employee presents to determine if it reasonable appears to be genuine and to relate to the person presenting it." "Purpose - CORRECT ANSWER Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form. On the form, an employee must attest to his or her employment authorization. The employee must also present his or her employer with acceptable documents evidencing identity and employment authorization. The employer must examine the employment eligibility and identity document(s) an employee presents to determine whether the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the employee and record the document information on the Form I-9. The list of acceptable documents can be found on the last page of the form. Employers must retain Form I-9 for a designated period and make it available for inspection by authorized government officers. NOTE: State agencies may use Form I-9. Also, some agricultural recruiters and referrers for a fee may be required to use Form I-9." "Where to file - CORRECT ANSWER Do not file Form I-9 with USCIS or U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Employers must have a completed Form I-9 on file for each person on their payroll who is required to complete the form. Form I-9 must be retained and stored by the employer either for three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment is terminated, whichever is later. The form must be available for inspection by authorized U.S. Government officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, or Department of Justice." "HRIS and strategic decison making - CORRECT ANSWER An HRIS can support strategic decision making, help the organization avoid lawsuits, provide data for evaluating programs or policies, and support day to day decisions ." "HRIS and talent management - CORRECT ANSWER An HRIS can support Talent management by integrating data on recruiting, performance management, and training. This means that, for example, that the HRIS user can sense how specific kinds of recruiting, hiring , and training decisions relate to performance success. This helps HR professionals identify how to develop the organization's talent and where to recruit new talent so that an ongoing supply of human resources is available to fill new positions or new openings in existing positions"