aPHR Employee Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An employee repeatedly arrives 15-20 minutes late despite a verbal warning. What is the recommended next step in progressive discipline?
- Terminate the employee immediately
- Issue a written warning documenting the behavior and consequences (Correct answer)
- Reduce the employee's pay as a penalty
- Transfer the employee to a different shift without discussion
Correct answer: Issue a written warning documenting the behavior and consequences
Progressive discipline follows a sequence; after a verbal warning, a written warning is the appropriate next step to document the issue formally.
Question 2: Which federal law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who file workplace safety complaints?
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
- OSHA Section 11(c) (Correct answer)
- The Fair Labor Standards Act
- The National Labor Relations Act
Correct answer: OSHA Section 11(c)
OSHA Section 11(c) specifically protects employees from retaliation for reporting safety hazards or participating in OSHA investigations.
Question 3: A manager overhears an employee making a racially derogatory comment to a coworker. What should the manager do first?
- Ignore it if the coworker did not complain
- Immediately terminate the offending employee
- Intervene and report the incident to HR per company policy (Correct answer)
- Issue a written warning without HR involvement
Correct answer: Intervene and report the incident to HR per company policy
Managers have an obligation to intervene and report harassment to HR regardless of whether the target files a formal complaint.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
- To replace health insurance benefits
- To monitor employee productivity remotely
- To provide confidential support services for personal and work-related issues (Correct answer)
- To administer payroll and benefits enrollment
Correct answer: To provide confidential support services for personal and work-related issues
EAPs offer confidential counseling, referrals, and support services to help employees address personal or professional problems affecting their performance.
Question 5: Under the NLRA, which of the following is considered protected concerted activity?
- An employee filing a personal grievance alone
- Two employees discussing wages to collectively address a pay concern (Correct answer)
- An employee refusing to follow a lawful safety procedure
- A manager organizing employees against a union
Correct answer: Two employees discussing wages to collectively address a pay concern
The NLRA protects employees who act together to improve wages, hours, or working conditions, including discussing pay with coworkers.
Question 6: What is 'last chance agreement' in employee relations?
- A contract offered to new hires on probation
- A final disciplinary agreement giving an employee one more opportunity to correct behavior before termination (Correct answer)
- An arbitration clause in an employment contract
- A severance agreement signed at termination
Correct answer: A final disciplinary agreement giving an employee one more opportunity to correct behavior before termination
A last chance agreement is a formal written agreement that sets strict conditions an employee must meet to avoid termination, typically used after serious or repeated violations.
Question 7: Which approach best describes interest-based bargaining in labor relations?
- Each party states positions and refuses to compromise
- Both parties focus on underlying interests to find mutually beneficial solutions (Correct answer)
- Management dictates terms and the union accepts or rejects
- A neutral arbitrator decides all disputed contract terms
Correct answer: Both parties focus on underlying interests to find mutually beneficial solutions
Interest-based bargaining focuses on the needs and interests behind positions rather than positional demands, promoting collaborative problem-solving.
aPHR Employee Relations 2
An employee repeatedly arrives 15-20 minutes late despite a verbal warning.
What is the recommended next step in progressive discipline?