SHRM Knowledge 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of disparate impact discrimination?
- A manager refuses to hire women because he believes they are less committed
- A neutral pre-employment test disproportionately screens out a protected class without business justification (Correct answer)
- An employee is harassed by a coworker based on national origin
- A supervisor provides unequal pay to employees of different races
Correct answer: A neutral pre-employment test disproportionately screens out a protected class without business justification
Disparate impact occurs when a facially neutral employment practice has a disproportionately adverse effect on a protected group and is not justified by business necessity.
Question 2: Under the FMLA, which employee is eligible to take protected leave?
- An employee who has worked for the company for 6 months at a location with 40 employees
- An employee who has worked 1,250 hours over the past 12 months at a company with 55 employees (Correct answer)
- An employee who has worked 2 years at a location with 30 employees
- An employee who has worked full-time for 18 months at a company with 60 employees
Correct answer: An employee who has worked 1,250 hours over the past 12 months at a company with 55 employees
FMLA eligibility requires working for a covered employer (50+ employees), having 12 months of employment, and at least 1,250 hours worked in the past 12 months.
Question 3: In organizational development, 'force field analysis' is used to:
- Map reporting relationships across the organization
- Identify driving and restraining forces affecting a proposed change (Correct answer)
- Evaluate the financial impact of HR programs
- Assess individual competencies for succession planning
Correct answer: Identify driving and restraining forces affecting a proposed change
Force field analysis, developed by Kurt Lewin, identifies the forces that support or hinder a planned change, helping organizations strengthen drivers and reduce barriers.
Question 4: An employer wants to conduct a compensation survey to benchmark pay. Which approach provides the most reliable external market data?
- Relying solely on employee salary disclosure conversations
- Using published third-party compensation surveys from reputable industry sources (Correct answer)
- Setting pay based on the lowest competitor wages identified online
- Asking candidates their salary history during interviews
Correct answer: Using published third-party compensation surveys from reputable industry sources
Third-party compensation surveys aggregate validated pay data across many organizations, providing statistically reliable market benchmarks for compensation decisions.
Question 5: Which of the following describes the 'halo effect' in performance appraisals?
- A rater gives all employees the same mid-range score to avoid conflict
- A rater allows one positive trait to positively influence ratings on all other dimensions (Correct answer)
- A rater scores employees higher at the end of the review period than warranted
- A rater unconsciously favors employees who are demographically similar to themselves
Correct answer: A rater allows one positive trait to positively influence ratings on all other dimensions
The halo effect occurs when a rater's positive impression of one trait or behavior skews their ratings of unrelated performance dimensions upward.
Question 6: Which Act requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified individuals with disabilities?
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 503 (Correct answer)
- Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920
- Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA)
Correct answer: Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 503
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to hire and advance qualified individuals with disabilities.
Question 7: A learning management system (LMS) is primarily used to:
- Track employee compensation and benefits enrollment
- Administer, document, track, and deliver employee training programs (Correct answer)
- Manage the applicant tracking and onboarding workflow
- Monitor employee productivity through real-time analytics
Correct answer: Administer, document, track, and deliver employee training programs
An LMS is a software platform used to create, deliver, manage, and track employee learning and development activities.
SHRM Knowledge 3
Which of the following is an example of disparate impact discrimination?