SPHR Senior Professional in Human Resources 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the NLRA, which of the following employer actions during a union organizing campaign is MOST likely to constitute an unfair labor practice?
- Distributing a factual comparison of union dues versus wage increases
- Promising employees a wage increase if they vote against the union (Correct answer)
- Explaining the company's no-solicitation policy that predates the organizing drive
- Holding mandatory informational meetings about the company's union-free philosophy
Correct answer: Promising employees a wage increase if they vote against the union
Promising benefits contingent on a union election outcome is an unlawful 'promise of benefit' under NLRA Section 8(a)(1).
Question 2: A company is implementing a reduction in force and must comply with the WARN Act. Which scenario triggers the 60-day advance notice requirement?
- Laying off 75 employees at a 600-person plant over 90 days
- Closing a facility that employs 45 full-time workers
- Furloughing 80 part-time workers for less than 6 months
- Terminating 50 employees at a 400-person site within 30 days (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Terminating 50 employees at a 400-person site within 30 days
WARN applies when 50+ employees (≥33% of the workforce) are laid off at a single site within 30 days, as in a 400-person plant.
Question 3: Which expatriate compensation approach pays employees according to home-country salary scales adjusted for cost-of-living, housing, and tax differentials?
- Going-rate approach
- Balance-sheet approach (Correct answer)
- Localization approach
- Negotiation approach
Correct answer: Balance-sheet approach
The balance-sheet approach maintains home-country purchasing power by adding allowances for cost-of-living, housing, and taxes.
Question 4: An SPHR is designing succession planning for critical roles. Which metric BEST measures the effectiveness of the program over time?
- Percentage of open leadership positions filled internally (Correct answer)
- Number of high-potential employees identified annually
- Average tenure of senior leaders at retirement
- Total training hours completed by succession candidates
Correct answer: Percentage of open leadership positions filled internally
The percentage of critical roles filled internally directly measures whether the succession pipeline is producing ready successors.
Question 5: Under the ADA, an employer is required to provide a reasonable accommodation UNLESS it causes undue hardship. Which factor is NOT considered in the undue hardship analysis?
- Cost of the accommodation
- Overall financial resources of the facility
- The employee's length of service with the company (Correct answer)
- The impact on the operation of the facility
Correct answer: The employee's length of service with the company
Undue hardship factors under the ADA include cost, employer resources, nature of the operation, and facility impact—not the employee's tenure.
Question 6: A company's total rewards strategy should PRIMARILY be aligned with which organizational element?
- Competitor compensation benchmarks
- The organization's business strategy and culture (Correct answer)
- Current federal minimum wage requirements
- Employee preference surveys
Correct answer: The organization's business strategy and culture
Total rewards must support and reinforce the organization's strategic direction and cultural values to attract and retain the right talent.
Question 7: Which of the following correctly describes the difference between disparate treatment and disparate impact in employment discrimination?
- Disparate treatment requires statistical proof; disparate impact requires showing intent
- Disparate treatment is intentional discrimination; disparate impact is a neutral policy with discriminatory effect (Correct answer)
- Disparate impact only applies to race; disparate treatment applies to all protected classes
- Both theories require proof of discriminatory intent to establish a prima facie case
Correct answer: Disparate treatment is intentional discrimination; disparate impact is a neutral policy with discriminatory effect
Disparate treatment involves intentional discrimination based on a protected characteristic, while disparate impact occurs when a neutral policy disproportionately harms a protected group.
SPHR Senior Professional in Human Resources 2
Under the NLRA, which of the following employer actions during a union organizing campaign is MOST likely to constitute an unfair labor practice?