Civil Service FAQ Public Administration Basics Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real Civil Service FAQ practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Civil Service FAQ Public Administration Basics Questions and Answers flashcards as text
In U.S. civil service, what is a 'competitive examination' primarily designed to assess?
Answer: A candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities
Competitive examinations evaluate applicants on job-relevant criteria to ensure that hiring decisions are based on merit rather than favoritism.
Which federal body hears appeals from federal employees who believe they have been subjected to unjust personnel actions such as removal or demotion?
Answer: Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
The MSPB is an independent quasi-judicial agency that adjudicates appeals from federal employees challenging adverse personnel actions.
What is 'at-will employment,' and how does it differ from civil service employment?
Answer: At-will employees can be terminated without cause, while civil servants require documented justification for removal
Unlike at-will employees who can be dismissed without specific cause, civil service employees are protected by merit system rules that require agencies to document legitimate reasons for adverse actions.
Which law restricts most federal civilian employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty or in federal buildings?
Answer: Hatch Act
The Hatch Act of 1939 prohibits most federal employees from using their official authority to influence elections or from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty.
What is the General Schedule (GS) pay system in U.S. federal employment?
Answer: A 15-grade pay scale used to classify and compensate most white-collar federal workers
The General Schedule is a standardized 15-grade pay scale (GS-1 through GS-15) that determines salaries for the majority of white-collar federal civilian employees based on grade and step.
In public administration, 'span of control' refers to:
Answer: The number of subordinates a manager directly supervises
Span of control describes how many employees report directly to a single supervisor, which affects organizational efficiency and the depth of management layers.