Performance Evaluation and Appraisal Flashcards
7 cards from real CODESP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Performance Evaluation and Appraisal flashcards as text
Which appraisal error occurs when a supervisor's rating of an employee is influenced by comparing that employee to the previous person rated?
Answer: Contrast effect
The contrast effect causes ratings to be distorted upward or downward depending on the performance level of the person rated immediately before.
A probationary period performance review in the public sector is primarily used to:
Answer: Assess whether a new hire meets standards before gaining permanent status
Probationary reviews allow agencies to evaluate new employees against job standards before granting civil service protections and permanent status.
The 'critical incident' method of performance evaluation requires supervisors to:
Answer: Record specific examples of notably effective or ineffective behaviors throughout the rating period
Critical incident documentation involves logging specific behavioral events that represent the extremes of performance, providing concrete evidence for ratings.
Recency error in performance appraisal occurs when:
Answer: A supervisor bases ratings primarily on events close to the evaluation date
Recency error causes the appraisal to reflect only recent events rather than the entire evaluation period, distorting the overall performance picture.
Which principle is MOST important to ensure legal defensibility of a performance appraisal system?
Answer: Appraisals must be based on job-related, observable criteria
Courts have consistently held that appraisals must be grounded in job-relevant, observable criteria to withstand legal challenges under Title VII and ADA.
A performance improvement plan (PIP) is BEST described as:
Answer: A structured document outlining expectations, timelines, and support for an underperforming employee
A PIP formally communicates performance deficiencies, sets measurable improvement goals, and provides resources and a timeline for achieving them.
Which of the following BEST describes inter-rater reliability in performance appraisal?
Answer: The degree to which different raters assign similar scores for the same performance level
Inter-rater reliability measures whether multiple supervisors evaluate the same behaviors consistently, which is essential for fairness across an organization.