COA COA Human Resources & Personnel Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which HR metric measures the percentage of employees who leave an organization over a specific period?
- Absenteeism rate
- Employee turnover rate (Correct answer)
- Time-to-fill rate
- Cost-per-hire
Correct answer: Employee turnover rate
Employee turnover rate is calculated by dividing the number of separations by the average number of employees during the period, expressed as a percentage.
Question 2: An employee reports that a coworker made repeated unwanted romantic comments. HR's first required step is to:
- Immediately terminate the accused employee
- Conduct a prompt and thorough investigation (Correct answer)
- Ask the reporting employee to resolve it informally
- Document the complaint and wait for further incidents
Correct answer: Conduct a prompt and thorough investigation
HR is legally and ethically obligated to promptly investigate all harassment complaints to determine the facts before taking action.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of indirect compensation?
- Hourly wages
- Annual salary
- Health insurance benefits (Correct answer)
- Commission payments
Correct answer: Health insurance benefits
Indirect compensation includes non-cash benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, as opposed to direct monetary pay.
Question 4: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on all of the following EXCEPT:
- Race and color
- Religion and national origin
- Marital status (Correct answer)
- Sex and age (40+)
Correct answer: Marital status
Marital status is not a protected class under federal EEOC-enforced laws, though some state laws may provide that protection.
Question 5: Which onboarding best practice most effectively reduces early employee turnover?
- Providing a single orientation session on day one
- Assigning a mentor or buddy to guide the new hire (Correct answer)
- Delivering the employee handbook before the first day
- Scheduling performance reviews at 30 days
Correct answer: Assigning a mentor or buddy to guide the new hire
Buddy or mentor programs give new hires a go-to resource for questions, accelerating integration and reducing feelings of isolation that lead to early departures.
Question 6: When an employer reduces a workforce due to economic conditions and eliminates positions permanently, this is called a:
- Furlough
- Layoff (Correct answer)
- Demotion
- Constructive dismissal
Correct answer: Layoff
A layoff involves permanently eliminating positions due to business reasons such as downsizing or restructuring, unlike a furlough which is temporary.
Question 7: A structured interview technique where candidates are asked to describe how they handled specific past situations is called:
- Situational interviewing
- Behavioral interviewing (Correct answer)
- Panel interviewing
- Stress interviewing
Correct answer: Behavioral interviewing
Behavioral interviewing uses past behavior as a predictor of future performance, asking candidates to give specific examples from their experience.
COA COA Human Resources & Personnel Management 5
Which HR metric measures the percentage of employees who leave an organization over a specific period?