LER 100 Exam 1 PSU ACTUAL UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Work A purposeful human activity involving physical or mental exertion that is not
undertaken solely for pleasure and that has economic or symbolic value.
Work as a Job "Focus on survival: money, benefits, and pay"
ex: picking rock, cleaning hotel rooms near a hospital
Work as a Career "Focus on success, esteem, recognition, and power"
ex: recognition of being faculty at PSU
Work as a Calling "Focus on meaning, purpose, and calling"
ex: teaching students and educating workers about their
rights on the job; work itself as virtuous
1. Lack of leisure time (long working hours; no mandated Challenges from emphasis on work
paid leave, professionals "on" at all hours)
2. Lack of creativity and productivity (research from
neuroscience: idleness means brains most active)
3. Culture of overwork >> disengaged workers
70% According to 2016 Gallup poll: Almost __% of American workers are not engaged
in their jobs.
(highest engagement since 2000!)
-Millennials least engaged of generations-why? Not
getting jobs they are qualified for;
Both Gen X and Millenials poorer than parents generation
1. The economy and health of the company Why are workers disengaged? (3 reasons)
2. stagnant wages and increased workloads
3. Bad supervisors
1. Automation and technological change ( job creation Key ways work is changing (3 things)
and loss)
2. Increased on-demand and gig work
3. Shift from employment to contract economy
Rising (16% of workforce) Contract work is __ _. (rising/falling)
1. Independent contractors Four types of alternative work arrangements:
2. On-call workers
3. Temp workers
4. Those employed by contract firms
, 1. Downward pressures on compensation Impacts of the shift to contracting (6 reasons)
2. Increased wage inequality between low and mid-level
workers and those on higher end
3. Not just blue collar workers impacted but range of
functions
4. Transience rather than permanence
5. No sharing in long-term success
6. More efficiency for companies; reduction in labor
costs
The Employment-at-Will Doctrine -Either an employee or his/her employer is free to terminate employment at any
point
-In practice, this means that employers can discharge an employee at any point
for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all
-There are only a few exceptions to this doctrine
1. Legislative restrictions (ex: anti-discrimination laws) Employment-at-Will exceptions (3)
2. Contractual restrictions (ex: union contract)
3. Some state-by-state judicial exceptions (such as firing
someone for refusing to break the law)
Most ___ workers in the U.S. are covered by employment laws. (all/most/few/no)
1. Pay and hours Employment laws protect employees in 4 areas:
2. Discrimination
3. Safety and health
4. Employee welfare
1. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Employment law includes (but is not limited to): (6 laws)
2. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
3. Workers' compensation
4. Unemployment compensation
5. Social Security Act
6. Anti-discrimination laws
Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) -Established child labor laws
-Set the minimum wage ($7.25 in 2009)
-Defined a 40-hour workweek
-Set overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a week
-Some exemptions from the overtime provision
-Enforced by U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division
-Excludes: farm workers, domestic/home workers, others
Farm workers, domestic/home workers, others Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) excludes:
Work A purposeful human activity involving physical or mental exertion that is not
undertaken solely for pleasure and that has economic or symbolic value.
Work as a Job "Focus on survival: money, benefits, and pay"
ex: picking rock, cleaning hotel rooms near a hospital
Work as a Career "Focus on success, esteem, recognition, and power"
ex: recognition of being faculty at PSU
Work as a Calling "Focus on meaning, purpose, and calling"
ex: teaching students and educating workers about their
rights on the job; work itself as virtuous
1. Lack of leisure time (long working hours; no mandated Challenges from emphasis on work
paid leave, professionals "on" at all hours)
2. Lack of creativity and productivity (research from
neuroscience: idleness means brains most active)
3. Culture of overwork >> disengaged workers
70% According to 2016 Gallup poll: Almost __% of American workers are not engaged
in their jobs.
(highest engagement since 2000!)
-Millennials least engaged of generations-why? Not
getting jobs they are qualified for;
Both Gen X and Millenials poorer than parents generation
1. The economy and health of the company Why are workers disengaged? (3 reasons)
2. stagnant wages and increased workloads
3. Bad supervisors
1. Automation and technological change ( job creation Key ways work is changing (3 things)
and loss)
2. Increased on-demand and gig work
3. Shift from employment to contract economy
Rising (16% of workforce) Contract work is __ _. (rising/falling)
1. Independent contractors Four types of alternative work arrangements:
2. On-call workers
3. Temp workers
4. Those employed by contract firms
, 1. Downward pressures on compensation Impacts of the shift to contracting (6 reasons)
2. Increased wage inequality between low and mid-level
workers and those on higher end
3. Not just blue collar workers impacted but range of
functions
4. Transience rather than permanence
5. No sharing in long-term success
6. More efficiency for companies; reduction in labor
costs
The Employment-at-Will Doctrine -Either an employee or his/her employer is free to terminate employment at any
point
-In practice, this means that employers can discharge an employee at any point
for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all
-There are only a few exceptions to this doctrine
1. Legislative restrictions (ex: anti-discrimination laws) Employment-at-Will exceptions (3)
2. Contractual restrictions (ex: union contract)
3. Some state-by-state judicial exceptions (such as firing
someone for refusing to break the law)
Most ___ workers in the U.S. are covered by employment laws. (all/most/few/no)
1. Pay and hours Employment laws protect employees in 4 areas:
2. Discrimination
3. Safety and health
4. Employee welfare
1. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Employment law includes (but is not limited to): (6 laws)
2. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
3. Workers' compensation
4. Unemployment compensation
5. Social Security Act
6. Anti-discrimination laws
Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) -Established child labor laws
-Set the minimum wage ($7.25 in 2009)
-Defined a 40-hour workweek
-Set overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a week
-Some exemptions from the overtime provision
-Enforced by U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division
-Excludes: farm workers, domestic/home workers, others
Farm workers, domestic/home workers, others Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) excludes:
