CPM Shift Scheduling & Labor Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the FLSA, what is the overtime pay rate for non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek?
- 1.25 times the regular rate
- 1.5 times the regular rate (Correct answer)
- 2.0 times the regular rate
- 1.75 times the regular rate
Correct answer: 1.5 times the regular rate
The FLSA requires that non-exempt employees receive at least 1.5 times (time-and-a-half) their regular rate of pay for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
Question 2: A compressed workweek schedule of 4x10 means employees work:
- Four 10-hour shifts spread across two weeks
- Four days per week with 10 hours per shift (Correct answer)
- Ten shifts across four weeks
- Four shifts of varying length totaling 40 hours
Correct answer: Four days per week with 10 hours per shift
A 4x10 compressed workweek schedule has employees working four 10-hour days per week, completing their 40-hour week in four days instead of five.
Question 3: Which scheduling approach uses a fixed rotation where employees permanently stay on one shift (day, evening, or night)?
- Continental rotation
- Pitman schedule
- Permanent shift assignment (Correct answer)
- DuPont schedule
Correct answer: Permanent shift assignment
Permanent shift assignment keeps employees on a fixed shift indefinitely, which some workers prefer for lifestyle predictability but can create equity issues.
Question 4: In labor relations, what does the term 'past practice' mean?
- A company's stated written policy on scheduling
- A consistent, long-standing workplace custom that both parties have accepted (Correct answer)
- A union grievance filed within the past year
- Management's right to change work schedules unilaterally
Correct answer: A consistent, long-standing workplace custom that both parties have accepted
Past practice refers to a consistent, long-standing way of doing things that both management and the union have implicitly accepted, which may carry contractual weight during grievances.
Question 5: A plant manager wants to add a third shift but the union contract is silent on night shift premiums. What is the BEST first step?
- Implement the shift immediately since the contract doesn't prohibit it
- Lay off existing workers to hire night-shift-only employees
- Meet with union representatives to negotiate a night shift differential (Correct answer)
- Post mandatory overtime notices without union consultation
Correct answer: Meet with union representatives to negotiate a night shift differential
When the contract is silent on an issue that affects working conditions like shift premiums, good-faith bargaining with the union before implementation avoids unfair labor practice charges.
Question 6: The 'Pitman' shift schedule is characterized by which pattern?
- 2 days on, 2 days off, 3 days on, 2 days off, 2 days on, 3 days off (Correct answer)
- 5 days on, 2 days off rotating across three shifts
- 4 days on, 4 days off with alternating day/night shifts
- 7 days on, 7 days off with two crew rotations
Correct answer: 2 days on, 2 days off, 3 days on, 2 days off, 2 days on, 3 days off
The Pitman schedule follows a 2-2-3 pattern (2 on, 2 off, 3 on) that repeats every two weeks, covering 24/7 operations with four crews.
Question 7: Which federal law governs the collective bargaining rights of private-sector employees and defines unfair labor practices?
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (Correct answer)
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
Correct answer: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
The NLRA (also known as the Wagner Act) establishes workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively, and defines unfair labor practices for both employers and unions.
CPM Shift Scheduling & Labor Relations 2
Under the FLSA, what is the overtime pay rate for non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek?