New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension Analysis 2

Question 1

A passage states: 'All requests for overtime must be submitted in writing no later than 48 hours before the scheduled overtime shift. Verbal requests will not be accepted.' An employee verbally notifies their supervisor of overtime the morning of the shift. What is the correct conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The request does not comply with the policy.

Answer

The passage explicitly states verbal requests will not be accepted, so the employee's request does not comply.

Question 2

A regulation reads: 'Employees are prohibited from accepting gifts valued over $25 from vendors. Gifts valued at $25 or less must be reported to the ethics office within 10 business days.' An employee receives a $20 gift and reports it after 15 business days. Which statement is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

The employee violated the reporting deadline but not the gift prohibition.

Answer

The $20 gift is within the allowable limit, but reporting after 15 days exceeds the 10-business-day deadline.

Question 3

A passage reads: 'The primary purpose of performance evaluations is to identify employee strengths, areas for improvement, and training needs. They are not disciplinary tools.' Based solely on this passage, which use of evaluations is NOT supported?

Accepted Answer

Issuing formal disciplinary warnings

Answer

The passage explicitly states evaluations are not disciplinary tools, so using them to issue warnings is unsupported.

Question 4

A memo states: 'Department heads must approve all purchases over $500. Purchases between $100 and $500 require supervisor approval. Purchases under $100 may be made without prior approval.' A $450 purchase is made with only department head approval. Is this compliant?

Accepted Answer

No, purchases in that range require only supervisor approval.

Answer

The policy specifies supervisor approval for the $100–$500 range; the department head's approval, while higher, is not what the policy prescribes.

Question 5

A passage reads: 'When interpreting ambiguous policy language, employees should first consult their immediate supervisor. If the question remains unresolved, it should be escalated to the human resources department, and only as a last resort to the legal office.' An employee skips HR and goes directly to the legal office. What does the passage suggest about this action?

Accepted Answer

It bypasses the required intermediate step.

Answer

The passage requires escalation through HR before involving the legal office, so skipping HR bypasses a required step.

New Jersey Civil Service Exam Practice Test

New Jersey Civil Service Exam Practice Test

New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension Analysis 2