HRCI PHR (Professional in Human Resources) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which sourcing strategy focuses on building a pipeline of candidates before a position opens?

Proactive sourcing (Correct answer)
Outsourced placement
Contingency hiring
Reactive recruiting

Correct answer: Proactive sourcing

Proactive sourcing involves continuously identifying and engaging talent in advance so a pipeline exists when roles become available.

Question 2: What is the purpose of a 'compa-ratio' in compensation management?

To compare an employee's actual salary to the midpoint of their pay range (Correct answer)
To calculate the company's total compensation cost
To measure the ratio of exempt to non-exempt employees
To compare benefits costs year over year

Correct answer: To compare an employee's actual salary to the midpoint of their pay range

Compa-ratio (actual salary ÷ range midpoint × 100) indicates whether an employee is paid below (< 100%), at (= 100%), or above (> 100%) the market midpoint.

Question 3: Which US law prohibits workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin?

ADEA
FMLA
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Correct answer)
ADA

Correct answer: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII is the primary federal statute prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics including race, sex, and religion.

Question 4: A SMART goal used in performance management should be:

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (Correct answer)
Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Resourced, and Tactical
Structured, Managerial, Aligned, Reviewed, and Timed
Simple, Meaningful, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Trackable

Correct answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — a framework for creating clear and attainable performance goals.

Question 5: What is 'disparate impact' discrimination?

Pay gaps between exempt and non-exempt employees
Deliberate targeting of a protected group for adverse employment actions
Differences in disciplinary rates between departments
A facially neutral policy or practice that disproportionately excludes members of a protected class without business justification (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A facially neutral policy or practice that disproportionately excludes members of a protected class without business justification

Disparate impact (also called adverse impact) occurs when a neutral employment practice results in significantly lower selection rates for a protected group, and the employer cannot justify it as a business necessity.

Question 6: What does an 'open-door policy' in employee relations typically mean?

All employee files are accessible to coworkers
Employees may raise concerns directly with management without fear of retaliation (Correct answer)
The workplace operates without physical office partitions
Managers must keep their office doors open at all times

Correct answer: Employees may raise concerns directly with management without fear of retaliation

An open-door policy encourages employees to bring complaints, suggestions, or concerns to any level of management without retaliation.

Question 7: What is the 'general duty clause' of the OSH Act?

Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm (Correct answer)
Employers must conduct annual safety audits
Employers must post OSHA penalties in the break room
All employees must receive 10 hours of OSHA safety training

Correct answer: Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act — the General Duty Clause — requires employers to address serious, recognized hazards even when no specific OSHA standard applies.

Question 8: What is the 'HR audit' process designed to accomplish?

Review the accuracy of job descriptions
Inspect payroll tax filings for mathematical errors
Systematically review HR policies, practices, and metrics for effectiveness and legal compliance (Correct answer)
Evaluate individual manager performance

Correct answer: Systematically review HR policies, practices, and metrics for effectiveness and legal compliance

An HR audit examines whether HR programs, policies, and practices align with legal requirements, best practices, and organizational goals, identifying gaps for improvement.

Question 9: What is OSHA's 'recordkeeping rule' (29 CFR Part 1904) primarily concerned with?

Recording all workplace safety training completions
Documenting hazardous chemical inventories
Maintaining personnel files for all employees
Requiring covered employers to record and report work-related injuries and illnesses on OSHA 300 logs (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Requiring covered employers to record and report work-related injuries and illnesses on OSHA 300 logs

OSHA's Part 1904 recordkeeping rule requires most employers with 10+ employees to maintain OSHA 300 logs of work-related injuries and illnesses and post the 300A summary annually.

Question 10: When an employee files an internal harassment complaint, HR's first obligation is to:

Immediately terminate the accused
Inform the accused's manager before beginning any inquiry
Conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation (Correct answer)
Wait for the employee to file an EEOC charge first

Correct answer: Conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation

HR must investigate harassment complaints promptly and impartially to meet the employer's legal duty of care and to stop ongoing harassment.

Question 11: Which of the following publishes standards for developing service delivery plans? (Choose two.)

United Nation Standards Publishing Organization (UNSPO)
Universal Business Standards Development Organization (UBSDO)
National Occupational Standards (NOS) (Correct answer)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: National Occupational Standards (NOS)

The National Occupational Standards (NOS) is a real, established body that publishes standards for developing service delivery plans and defining competencies across occupational sectors. UNSPO and UBSDO are not recognized organizations — they are fictitious names that do not correspond to any actual standards-publishing body.

Question 12: What is 'realistic job preview' (RJP) designed to accomplish?

Reduce turnover by honestly portraying job demands and culture (Correct answer)
Increase the applicant pool size
Comply with EEOC disclosure requirements
Accelerate the hiring timeline

Correct answer: Reduce turnover by honestly portraying job demands and culture

An RJP presents both positive and negative aspects of a role so candidates self-select appropriately, leading to better fit and lower early attrition.

Question 13: What is 'workforce planning' in strategic HR?

Forecasting future talent needs and developing strategies to meet them (Correct answer)
Scheduling employee shifts on a weekly basis
Tracking attendance and tardiness
Administering performance improvement plans

Correct answer: Forecasting future talent needs and developing strategies to meet them

Workforce planning analyzes current workforce capabilities against future business needs to identify talent gaps and develop strategies for acquisition, development, or restructuring.

Question 14: What is the purpose of a 'competency model' in L&D?

To rank employees by their level of competence for pay decisions
To define the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for effective performance in specific roles (Correct answer)
To measure the return on investment of training programs
To audit training vendor qualifications

Correct answer: To define the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for effective performance in specific roles

A competency model identifies the observable behaviors and capabilities that distinguish high performers, serving as a foundation for hiring, development, and performance standards.

Question 15: What does the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establish regarding overtime pay?

Non-exempt employees must receive 1.5× their regular rate for hours over 40 per workweek (Correct answer)
Overtime is voluntary and need not be compensated
All employees must be paid overtime for hours over 8 per day
Exempt employees must receive overtime after 50 hours per week

Correct answer: Non-exempt employees must receive 1.5× their regular rate for hours over 40 per workweek

The FLSA requires covered employers to pay non-exempt employees at least 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek.

Question 16: Which US federal law prohibits employers with 100+ employees from interfering with union organizing during a plant closing?

WARN Act (Correct answer)
FLSA
NLRA
Title VII

Correct answer: WARN Act

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires 60-day notice before mass layoffs or plant closings for covered employers.

Question 17: Fran is a HR Professionals for her organization and she is interviewing applicants for a warehouse position. One of the candidates has written on his application that he speaks Spanish. Fran interviews this candidate in Spanish an interviews all other candidates English. This is an example of what?

Disparate impact
Accommodation
Disparate treatment (Correct answer)
Perpetuating past discrimination

Correct answer: Disparate treatment

Disparate treatment occurs when an individual is treated differently because of a protected characteristic — here, Fran deliberately conducted the interview in a different language for one candidate based on his ethnicity/national origin. Disparate impact involves neutral policies with disproportionate effects, accommodation relates to religious or disability adjustments, and perpetuating past discrimination refers to carrying forward historical biases through facially neutral systems.

Question 18: When designing a performance management system, which HR principle helps ensure the process is perceived as fair by employees?

Restricting appraisal participation to direct managers only
Confidentiality of all rating data from employees
Applying uniform ratings regardless of individual performance differences
Procedural justice — using consistent, transparent, and bias-free processes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Procedural justice — using consistent, transparent, and bias-free processes

Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of the processes used to make decisions; when employees see the process as consistent and unbiased, they are more likely to accept outcomes.

Question 19: What is a 'grievance procedure' in a unionized workplace?

An annual performance review cycle
A disciplinary hearing for policy violations
A complaint hotline for non-union employees
A formal process for resolving disputes about the collective bargaining agreement (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A formal process for resolving disputes about the collective bargaining agreement

A grievance procedure is a contractually defined, step-by-step process through which unionized employees or the union can challenge alleged violations of the CBA.

Question 20: Human Resource planning is equal to:

Right number, Right kind, Right skills, Right time and Right Place (Correct answer)
Right number, Right Job, Right time, Right skill
Right number, Right Climate, Right Skill, Right time, Right place
Right People, Right qualifications, Right culture, Right place

Correct answer: Right number, Right kind, Right skills, Right time and Right Place

The correct answer is "Right number, Right king, Right skills, Right time and Right Place. "This answer accurately describes the components of human resource planning. "Right number" refers to having the appropriate number of employees, "Rights kind" refers to having employees with the necessary attributes and qualities, "Right skills" refers to having employees with the required skills and competencies, "Right time" refers to having employees available when needed, and "Rights Place" refers to having employees assigned to the appropriate positions or locations.

Question 21: What is 'microlearning' in the context of L&D?

A cost-reduction strategy that minimizes training time
Using microscopes in laboratory skills training
Training only the most critical employees
Delivering content in short, focused bursts typically lasting 3–10 minutes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Delivering content in short, focused bursts typically lasting 3–10 minutes

Microlearning breaks training content into brief, targeted modules designed for quick consumption and immediate application, often delivered via mobile or digital platforms.

Question 22: Does human resource planning affect every element of operative function?

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Human resource planning is a critical process that involves forecasting and aligning the organization's human resources needs with its strategic goals. It impacts every element of operative function as it ensures that the right people with the right skills are available at the right time to perform various tasks and responsibilities. Effective human resource planning helps in workforce optimization, talent acquisition, training and development, performance management and employee engagement, all of which directly influence the success and efficiency of operative functions with an organization. Therefore, it can be concluded that human resources planning does affect every element of operative function.

Question 23: Under COBRA, how long may a terminated employee typically continue group health coverage?

Up to 36 months for all qualifying events
Up to 18 months (Correct answer)
Up to 6 months
Indefinitely at no cost

Correct answer: Up to 18 months

COBRA generally allows qualified beneficiaries to continue group health coverage for up to 18 months following termination or reduction in hours.

Question 24: What is 'time-to-fill' in talent acquisition?

Cost per hire metric
Days from job opening to accepted offer (Correct answer)
Number of applicants per posting
Employee retention rate

Correct answer: Days from job opening to accepted offer

Time-to-fill measures the number of calendar days from when a job requisition is opened until a candidate accepts the offer.

Question 25: What is 'on-the-job training (OJT)' primarily characterized by?

Certification courses requiring external attendance
Learning that occurs while performing actual work duties, often guided by a mentor or supervisor (Correct answer)
E-learning modules completed independently
Formal classroom instruction at an offsite facility

Correct answer: Learning that occurs while performing actual work duties, often guided by a mentor or supervisor

OJT involves learning through hands-on performance of real job tasks under the guidance of an experienced colleague, supervisor, or mentor in the actual work environment.

Question 26: As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with non-monetary rewards that your company provides for its employees. Which of the following is an example of non-monetary reward?

Cash compensation
Satisfaction from challenging and exciting assignments
Esteem from working with other talented people
On-site cafeteria (Correct answer)

Correct answer: On-site cafeteria

An on-site cafeteria is a tangible workplace benefit provided by the employer — it has real monetary value but is not a direct cash payment, making it a non-monetary reward. Satisfaction from challenging work and esteem from colleagues are intrinsic/psychological rewards, not organizational ones. Cash compensation is explicitly monetary.

Question 27: Which HRCI certification exam domain specifically covers employee and labor relations?

PHR and SPHR both include an employee and labor relations functional area (Correct answer)
Only the GPHR covers labor relations
Only the aPHR covers employee relations
Labor relations is covered exclusively in the SPHRi

Correct answer: PHR and SPHR both include an employee and labor relations functional area

Both the PHR and SPHR exams include Employee and Labor Relations as a core functional area tested within the body of knowledge.

Question 28: Which benefit is typically excluded from the FLSA's regular rate calculation for overtime purposes?

Gifts and payments for occasional periods when no work is performed (Correct answer)
Commission payments
Production bonuses
Shift differentials

Correct answer: Gifts and payments for occasional periods when no work is performed

The FLSA excludes gifts and payments for periods when no work is performed (e.g., vacation pay, holiday pay) from the regular rate used to compute overtime.

Question 29: Human Resource Planning is called "Manpower planning."

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Human Resource Planning is indeed referred to as "Manpower planning." This term is used to describe the process of determining the organization's current and future human resources needs, as well as developing strategies to meet those needs. It involves analyzing the organization's goals and objectives, assessing the current workforce, identifying any gaps in skills or staffing, and implementing plans to address these gaps. The term "manpower planning" emphasizes the focus on the human element of resources within an organization, highlighting the importance of effectively managing and utilizing the workforce.

Question 30: Which selection test type measures a candidate's ability to learn and perform a job task?

Personality assessment
Cognitive ability test
Work sample test (Correct answer)
Reference check

Correct answer: Work sample test

Work sample tests require applicants to perform actual job tasks, directly demonstrating relevant skills and competencies.

HRCI PHR (Professional in Human Resources)

The PHR certification from HRCI validates mastery of the technical and operational aspects of HR management, covering business management, talent acquisition, learning and development, total rewards, and employee and labor relations. It is designed for HR professionals focused on program implementation and tactical functions.

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

70%

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