Shift Scheduling & Labor Relations Flashcards
7 cards from real CPM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Shift Scheduling & Labor Relations flashcards as text
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), how many weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave are eligible employees entitled to per year for qualifying reasons?
Answer: 12 weeks
The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying family and medical reasons.
The DuPont shift schedule, used for 24/7 continuous operations, typically uses how many crews?
Answer: Four crews in a fixed 4-week cycle of 12-hour shifts
The DuPont schedule uses four crews rotating through a 4-week cycle of 12-hour shifts, providing 24/7 coverage while giving workers extended days off.
When a union and employer cannot reach agreement after extensive good-faith bargaining, this situation is called:
Answer: A bargaining impasse
A bargaining impasse occurs when both parties have bargained in good faith but cannot reach agreement, at which point different resolution mechanisms (mediation, arbitration) may apply.
A plant manager implementing a new scheduling system discovers it will reduce the number of weekend days off for senior employees. Under a union contract with seniority provisions, the manager should:
Answer: Negotiate with the union before implementation, as it materially affects terms of employment
Material changes to scheduling that affect terms and conditions of employment covered (or implied) by the labor agreement require good-faith bargaining with the union before implementation.
What is 'featherbedding' in the context of labor relations?
Answer: A union practice of requiring employers to pay for unnecessary or unperformed work
Featherbedding refers to union practices that require employers to hire more workers than needed or pay for work not performed, and it is prohibited under the NLRA.
When creating shift schedules, which ergonomic principle recommends rotating shifts in a clockwise direction (day → evening → night) rather than counterclockwise?
Answer: Clockwise rotation aligns with the body's natural tendency to delay sleep phase
Clockwise shift rotation (day→evening→night) aligns with the body's natural circadian tendency toward a longer-than-24-hour cycle, making it physiologically easier to adapt than counterclockwise rotation.
In a labor agreement, 'just cause' for discipline typically requires management to demonstrate which of the following?
Answer: That the rule violated was known, consistently enforced, and the penalty is proportionate to the offense
Just cause requires management to show the employee knew the rule, the rule was consistently applied, an investigation was conducted, and the discipline is proportionate to the misconduct.