PHR: Professional in Human Resources — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which employees are protected?

Only employees over age 65
Employees age 40 and older (Correct answer)
All employees under age 40
Employees between ages 18 and 65

Correct answer: Employees age 40 and older

The ADEA prohibits discrimination against employees and job applicants who are 40 years of age or older.

Question 2: What is the primary purpose of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

Managing performance reviews
Offering confidential counseling and referral services for personal and work-related problems (Correct answer)
Providing payroll advances
Coordinating employee training schedules

Correct answer: Offering confidential counseling and referral services for personal and work-related problems

EAPs provide employees with confidential access to mental health, financial, legal, and other support services.

Question 3: What is 'management by objectives' (MBO)?

A process where managers and employees jointly set goals, and performance is evaluated against those goals (Correct answer)
A budgeting process for HR departments
Managing only through written policies and objectives
Setting objectives only at the senior management level

Correct answer: A process where managers and employees jointly set goals, and performance is evaluated against those goals

MBO is a performance management approach in which managers and employees collaboratively establish measurable objectives and evaluate performance against them.

Question 4: What is 'blended learning' in L&D?

Cross-functional team training
Training that covers multiple departments simultaneously
Training for multilingual employees
A training approach combining instructor-led and technology-based (e.g., eLearning) methods (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A training approach combining instructor-led and technology-based (e.g., eLearning) methods

Blended learning integrates face-to-face instruction with online or digital learning components to optimize engagement and effectiveness.

Question 5: What is 'employment at will' in the US?

Employees may only be fired for cause
Either party may end the employment relationship at any time for any lawful reason (Correct answer)
An employer must provide 30 days notice before termination
Employment contracts are required for all workers

Correct answer: Either party may end the employment relationship at any time for any lawful reason

Employment at will means either the employer or employee can end the relationship at any time for any legal reason without prior notice.

Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a job analysis in the recruiting process?

To screen resumes
To define job duties, responsibilities, and required qualifications (Correct answer)
To conduct background checks
To set the salary range

Correct answer: To define job duties, responsibilities, and required qualifications

A job analysis identifies and documents the duties, responsibilities, required skills, and working conditions for a specific role.

Question 7: What is 'employee engagement'?

Attendance tracking systems
The emotional commitment an employee has to their organization and its goals (Correct answer)
Company social events
The process of hiring new employees

Correct answer: The emotional commitment an employee has to their organization and its goals

Employee engagement refers to the level of enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment employees have toward their work and employer.

Question 8: Which federal agency enforces employment discrimination laws and investigates charges?

Department of Labor (DOL)
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting job discrimination and investigates charges filed by employees or job applicants.

Question 9: What does 'progressive discipline' involve?

Only using verbal warnings
Providing bonuses to improve behavior
Terminating employees immediately for any violation
A step-by-step corrective process with increasingly serious consequences (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A step-by-step corrective process with increasingly serious consequences

Progressive discipline escalates consequences (verbal warning → written warning → suspension → termination) to correct behavior while documenting performance issues.

Question 10: The concept of 'resistance to change' in OD is best managed by:

Mandating change through policy without explanation
Accelerating implementation so employees have less time to resist
Replacing employees who resist with new hires
Involving employees in the change process and addressing their concerns (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Involving employees in the change process and addressing their concerns

Participation and transparent communication give employees a voice, build ownership, and reduce fear — the most effective ways to minimize resistance.

Question 11: Which approach to conflict resolution involves a neutral third party helping parties reach their own agreement?

Mediation (Correct answer)
Litigation
Arbitration
Negotiation

Correct answer: Mediation

Mediation uses a neutral facilitator to help disputing parties communicate and voluntarily reach a mutually acceptable resolution.

Question 12: What is 'halo effect' as a performance appraisal bias?

Focusing only on recent performance rather than the full review period
Giving better ratings to employees who work overtime
Allowing one outstanding trait to positively influence ratings on all other dimensions (Correct answer)
Rating all employees above average

Correct answer: Allowing one outstanding trait to positively influence ratings on all other dimensions

The halo effect occurs when a rater allows one positive characteristic to overly influence ratings of all other performance dimensions.

Question 13: What does the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establish?

Workplace safety regulations
Family and medical leave rights
Anti-discrimination protections
Minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards

The FLSA sets federal minimum wage, requires overtime pay at 1.5x for hours over 40 per week, and establishes child labor protections.

Question 14: Which federal law guarantees employees the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities?

National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (Correct answer)
FLSA
FMLA
Title VII

Correct answer: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

The NLRA (Wagner Act) protects employees' rights to organize unions and engage in collective bargaining.

Question 15: What is the purpose of a 'performance improvement plan' (PIP)?

To document performance deficiencies and establish a structured plan with specific expectations and support for improvement (Correct answer)
To conduct annual compensation reviews
To identify training needs across the department
To recognize top performers for advancement

Correct answer: To document performance deficiencies and establish a structured plan with specific expectations and support for improvement

A PIP formally identifies gaps between current and expected performance, sets clear goals, provides support resources, and establishes a timeframe for improvement.

Question 16: What is 'leniency bias' in performance ratings?

The tendency to rate employees higher than their actual performance warrants (Correct answer)
Rating all employees below average to appear objective
Only giving ratings of 'meets expectations'
Rating based on likability rather than output

Correct answer: The tendency to rate employees higher than their actual performance warrants

Leniency bias occurs when a rater consistently rates employees more favorably than their performance merits, often to avoid conflict.

Question 17: What is the purpose of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

To track employee vacation time
To automate and manage the recruitment and hiring process (Correct answer)
To calculate payroll deductions
To monitor employee performance

Correct answer: To automate and manage the recruitment and hiring process

An ATS streamlines recruiting by managing job postings, collecting applications, and tracking candidates through the hiring pipeline.

Question 18: In OD, 'systems thinking' suggests that organizational problems should be viewed as:

Isolated issues caused by individual performance failures
Legal risks requiring compliance interventions
Interconnected patterns within a larger whole (Correct answer)
Purely financial challenges requiring cost-cutting

Correct answer: Interconnected patterns within a larger whole

Systems thinking recognizes that organizations are complex, interdependent systems where changes in one part affect all other parts.

Question 19: Under the ACA, what employer mandate applies to companies with 50+ full-time equivalent employees?

Offer affordable minimum essential health coverage or face potential penalties (Correct answer)
Match 401(k) contributions at 6%
Provide a minimum wage above federal standards
Provide paid parental leave

Correct answer: Offer affordable minimum essential health coverage or face potential penalties

The ACA's employer shared responsibility provision requires applicable large employers to offer affordable health coverage or pay an employer shared responsibility payment.

Question 20: Which payroll tax funds the federal unemployment insurance system?

SUTA
FICA
FUTA (Correct answer)
Medicare surtax

Correct answer: FUTA

The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) funds the federal portion of the unemployment insurance system and is paid solely by employers.

Question 21: What is 'compa-ratio' in compensation management?

The comparison of pay between competitors
The ratio of benefits costs to salary costs
An employee's actual pay divided by the midpoint of their pay range (Correct answer)
The ratio of base pay to total compensation

Correct answer: An employee's actual pay divided by the midpoint of their pay range

Compa-ratio compares an employee's pay to the salary range midpoint, indicating where they fall relative to the market benchmark.

Question 22: What is the primary purpose of an exit interview?

To complete Form I-9 reverification
To gather honest feedback from departing employees to improve organizational practices (Correct answer)
To calculate final paycheck amounts
To negotiate a final salary payment

Correct answer: To gather honest feedback from departing employees to improve organizational practices

Exit interviews collect candid insights from departing employees about workplace culture, management, and conditions that may inform retention strategies.

Question 23: Which statement best describes 'organizational climate' as distinct from 'organizational culture'?

Climate refers to physical workspace design while culture refers to remote work policies
Climate refers to deep-seated values while culture refers to current perceptions
Climate refers to employees' perceptions of the work environment while culture is the deeper underlying values and beliefs (Correct answer)
Climate and culture are interchangeable terms in OD

Correct answer: Climate refers to employees' perceptions of the work environment while culture is the deeper underlying values and beliefs

Organizational climate is a surface-level reflection of how employees currently perceive the workplace, while culture is the deeper, more stable set of shared values and assumptions.

Question 24: Which interviewing technique asks candidates to describe how they handled a specific past situation?

Stress interviewing
Behavioral interviewing (Correct answer)
Case interviewing
Situational interviewing

Correct answer: Behavioral interviewing

Behavioral interviewing uses past behavior as a predictor of future performance by asking candidates to recount specific experiences.

Question 25: What is 'at-will employment' exception based on 'implied contract'?

When a written employment contract exists
When employer statements in handbooks or verbal promises create a reasonable expectation of continued employment (Correct answer)
When an employee is a union member
When an employee has worked over 5 years

Correct answer: When employer statements in handbooks or verbal promises create a reasonable expectation of continued employment

Courts may find an implied contract exception when employer language in handbooks, policies, or verbal promises suggests job security.

Question 26: What does 'organizational culture' refer to in HR?

The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and norms that shape how work gets done in an organization (Correct answer)
The physical office environment
The company's financial performance
The employee benefits package

Correct answer: The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and norms that shape how work gets done in an organization

Organizational culture encompasses the shared assumptions, values, and practices that define how people behave within an organization.

Question 27: What is 'duty of good faith and fair dealing' as an exception to at-will employment?

Requirement to offer written warnings before termination
Requirement to provide severance pay
Prohibition against terminating employees for bad-faith or malicious reasons (Correct answer)
Mandate to provide two weeks' notice

Correct answer: Prohibition against terminating employees for bad-faith or malicious reasons

The implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing prevents employers from terminating employees in bad faith or with malicious intent.

Question 28: The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) provides eligible employees up to how many weeks of unpaid leave per year?

8 weeks
16 weeks
6 weeks
12 weeks (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 12 weeks

FMLA entitles eligible employees to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying family or medical reasons.

Question 29: What is a 'cafeteria plan' (Section 125 plan) in employee benefits?

An employer-provided meal subsidy program
A retirement savings vehicle
A flexible benefits plan allowing employees to choose among pretax benefit options (Correct answer)
A healthcare reimbursement account

Correct answer: A flexible benefits plan allowing employees to choose among pretax benefit options

A Section 125 cafeteria plan lets employees select from a menu of pretax benefit options, allowing customization of their benefits package.

Question 30: Under the WARN Act, employers with 100+ employees must provide how many days' advance notice of mass layoffs?

30 days
60 days (Correct answer)
90 days
14 days

Correct answer: 60 days

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires 60 days' advance written notice before mass layoffs or plant closings.

PHR: Professional in Human Resources

The PHR certification from HRCI validates mastery of the technical and operational aspects of HR management, covering employment law, talent acquisition, compensation, employee relations, and organizational development.

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

71%

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