SHRM-CP Employment Law & Regulatory Compliance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on which protected characteristics?
- Race, color, religion, sex, and national origin (Correct answer)
- Age, disability, pregnancy, and veteran status
- Race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability
- Sexual orientation and gender identity only
Correct answer: Race, color, religion, sex, and national origin
Title VII's five protected classes are race, color, religion, sex, and national origin — other characteristics are covered under separate laws.
Question 2: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers who are:
- 40 years of age or older (Correct answer)
- Over 21 years old
- 55 years of age or older
- Any age if they can prove age-based bias
Correct answer: 40 years of age or older
The ADEA protects individuals aged 40 and older from employment discrimination based on age in organizations with 20 or more employees.
Question 3: An employer with 15 or more employees is covered by which law requiring reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities?
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Correct answer)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
- Family and Medical Leave Act
Correct answer: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA applies to private employers with 15 or more employees and requires reasonable accommodation unless it causes undue hardship.
Question 4: Which doctrine allows either the employer or employee to end the employment relationship at any time, for any legal reason, without notice?
- At-will employment (Correct answer)
- Constructive discharge
- Employment contract
- Just cause termination
Correct answer: At-will employment
At-will employment is the default US employment doctrine permitting either party to terminate the relationship at any time for any lawful reason.
Question 5: Under the FLSA, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Which statement about state minimum wages is correct?
- States may set a higher minimum wage than the federal rate, and the higher rate applies (Correct answer)
- States must match the federal minimum wage exactly
- States can set minimum wages below $7.25 if approved by the DOL
- The federal rate overrides all state minimum wage laws
Correct answer: States may set a higher minimum wage than the federal rate, and the higher rate applies
States can set minimum wages higher than the federal floor, and when they do, the higher state rate is what employers must pay.
Question 6: Sexual harassment is recognized as a form of sex discrimination under:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Correct answer)
- The Equal Pay Act
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act
- Executive Order 11246
Correct answer: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
The Supreme Court confirmed in Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson that sexual harassment constitutes sex discrimination under Title VII.
SHRM-CP Employment Law & Regulatory Compliance 1
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on which protected characteristics?