Deck 17: Employment Discrimination and Employment Equity

Question 1

The workplace in Canada is becoming increasingly diverse.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Reasonable accommodation involves adapting employment policies and practices so that no individual is denied benefits or disadvantaged because of race, colour, sex or disability.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Traditionally women have been segregated in occupations that are accorded lower status and lower pay.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The issue of age discrimination was clearly illustrated in the case of Galbraith vs. Acres International.

Question 5

Canada has a relatively homogenous culture.

Question 6

Pay Equity came into law as the result of an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act in 1978.

Question 7

One significance of the Griggs v. Duke Power Company case is that it made reverse discrimination acceptable.

Question 8

There are six designated groups in Canada.

Question 9

The Constitution Act of 1982, which contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is the central legislation governing human rights in Canada.

Question 10

A central principle behind human rights legislation is to balance individual and collective rights.

Question 11

Sexual harassment is illegal only if it affects one's job advancement opportunities.

Question 12

Direct discrimination is another term for disparate impact.

Question 13

Aboriginal peoples are among the four designated groups in Canada.

Question 14

The failure of women to achieve higher level corporate positions has been attributed to a relative lack of ambition as compared to men.

Question 15

Employment equity does not aim to deal with systemic discrimination.

Question 16

The Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977 is aimed at ensuring equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination in the federal jurisdiction.

Question 17

A recent study by the Canadian Race Relations Foundations found that visible minorities and Aboriginals consistently obtain desirable jobs and promotions.

Question 18

In recent years, about 70% of the growth in the labour force was attributable to newcomers who arrived in the 1990's.

Question 19

According to a recent study, higher education yields fewer benefits for minorities and Aboriginals in terms of employment and income.

Question 20

Using a high school diploma to screen job applicants represents a classic case of disparate treatment.

Question 21

The case of Tawney Meiorin versus the B.C. Ministry of Forests was an example of

A) Direct discrimination
B) Adverse effect
C) Disparate treatment
D) Sexual harassment

Question 22

The Canadian Human Rights Act reflects the view that individuals should not be discriminated against on the basis of

A) Race
B) Colour
C) Religion
D) All of the above

Question 23

The application of an apparently neutral law that has a harmful impact on individuals on the basis of particular group characteristics is referred to as

A) Direct discrimination
B) Indirect discrimination
C) Disparate treatment
D) Racism

Question 24

In a 2002 review of Canada's 500 largest companies, the amount of women holding the highest corporate titles were

A) 12.4%
B) 6.7%
C) 42.1%
D) 23.6%

Question 25

Examples of sexual harassment include

A) Being subjected to sexually suggestive remarks
B) Being subjected to sexual innuendo and joking
C) Deliberate touching and cornering
D) All of the above

Question 26

Employment equity's objective include

A) Eliminating employment barriers to four designated groups
B) Redressing past discrimination in employment opportunities
C) Improving access for designated groups
D) All of the above

Question 27

The notion of pay equity refers to the principle of

A) Reverse discrimination
B) Equal pay for equal work
C) Equal pay for work of equal value
D) Both b and c

Question 28

The traditional test for assessing whether organizational policies harbour systemic barriers include:

A) Is it a business requirement?
B) Is it valid?
C) Does it have a disparate impact?
D) All of the above

Question 29

A policy viewed as discriminatory must pass this criteria to support the claim that it is a BFOQ.

A) Must be rationally related to the requirements of the job
B) Must be created in good faith
C) Must be reasonably necessary to accomplish a valid purpose
D) All of the above

Question 30

The notion that any kind of preference given to designated groups can lead to discrimination against those in the majority is referred to as

A) Racism
B) Reverse discrimination
C) Systemic discrimination
D) Sexual harassment

Question 31

Protected groups, as defined in the text, include all of the following except

A) women.
B) Visible minorities
C) Aboriginals
D) All of the above

Question 32

Disparate impact

A) was ruled acceptable in the Griggs v. Duke Power case.
B) is a form of intentional discrimination.
C) results in unequal consequences or results for different groups.
D) seems to affect women more than blacks.

Question 33

The famous case of sexual harassment involving U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas and a former employee of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission Anita Hill, occurred in

A) 2001
B) 1984
C) 1988
D) 1991

Question 34

Which of the following is an example of systemic discrimination?

A) Physical access that restricts those who are mobility impaired
B) A sign that reads "women need not apply"
C) Prohibiting racial minorities from applying for positions
D) All of the above

Question 35

Disparate treatment

A) is the same as disparate impact.
B) employs different standards for different groups.
C) is a form of indirect discrimination.
D) is also known as unintentional discrimination.

Question 36

The underlying rationale for preferential treatment is the principle of

A) Reverse discrimination
B) Employment equity
C) Compensatory justice
D) Adverse impact

Question 37

The Employment Equity Act was passed in

A) 1979
B) 1927
C) 1968
D) 1986

Question 38

Among the most common ethical and legal problems encountered at work is

A) Workplace violence
B) Corporate spying
C) Sexual harassment
D) Constructive dismissal

Question 39

Adapting employee policies and practices so that no employee is disadvantaged because of race, colour, sex or disability is referred to as

A) Adverse impact
B) Reasonable accommodation
C) Employment equity
D) Affirmative action

Question 40

Which of the following ideas underlies the rationale for the notion of employment equity?

A) "live and let live"
B) the Golden Rule
C) the principle of compensatory justice
D) the humanitarian ethic

Question 41

The term "employment equity" has many similarities with the U.S. term

A) Affirmative action
B) Pay equity
C) Job Action
D) Just cause

Question 42

Which type of employment discrimination does direct discrimination, unequal treatment, intentional discrimination, and prejudiced actions fall under?

A) disparate impact
B) disparate treatment
C) employment discrimination
D) none of the above

Question 43

Conducting an "employment systems review" is the third step in

A) Employment equity planning
B) Pay equity planning
C) Tax planning
D) All of the above

Question 44

In the landmark Griggs v. Duke Power Company case, a high school diploma and good scores on a general intelligence test were

A) not shown to have a clearly demonstrable relationship to successful performance on the job under consideration.
B) found to be an acceptable screening device for job selection.
C) shown to constitute disparate treatment.
D) found to be nondiscriminatory.

Question 45

Which of the following is the most common ethical or legal problem at work?

A) pay equity
B) sex discrimination
C) sexual harassment
D) none of the above

Question 46

The term "employment equity" was coined by

A) Anita Hill.
B) Clarence Thomas.
C) Judge Rosalie Abella.
D) Bell Canada.

Question 47

Which of the following is not an issue of sex discrimination?

A) getting into professional and managerial positions
B) achieving pay commensurate with that of men
C) eliminating sexual harassment
D) all of the above

Question 48

In 2002, for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, women earned

A) 79.3 cents.
B) 85.4 cents.
C) 58.6 cents.
D) 91.7 cents.

Question 49

Which of the following forms of discrimination focuses on the consequences of a decision?

A) disparate treatment
B) disparate impact
C) reverse discrimination
D) none of the above

Question 50

The notion that certain jobs are paid less simply because they are traditionally held by women (eg. clerical work) is asserted by advocates of

A) Reverse discrimination
B) Comparable worth
C) Human rights
D) Direct discrimination