Question 1

Felix is concerned about saving money for retirement. His company offers him a plan that requires him to contribute a specific amount of money each year through payroll deductions. At retirement, Felix will receive the monies he contributed as well as the fund's investment earnings. Felix is contributing to a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Felix is concerned about saving money for...

Question 2

Benjamin has a full-time job and has decided to work toward earning his master's degree at a local university. Some days he works from 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. so he can leave in time to attend his 4:00 p.m. classes. The rest of the week, Benjamin works from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. From this example, we know Benjamin's company allows ________.

Accepted Answer

Flextime schedules allow employees to adjust their work hours to accommodate personal or educational needs, such as attending classes in this case. Benjamin's ability to leave work early on some days to attend classes shows that his company allows for this type of flexible scheduling. B) permanent part-time schedules, C) compressed workweeks, and D) telecommuting are not indicated in the scenario provided.

Question 3

Oscar works in pharmaceutical sales. His base compensation is fairly low, but it is enhanced with compensation directly tied to his sales results. The incentive-based payments Oscar receives are called ________.

Accepted Answer

Commissions are payments directly tied to sales results, and are typically used as an incentive-based payment structure in sales positions. Bonuses can also be used as an incentive, but are generally not as directly tied to sales results as commissions. Wages and salaries are typically used to refer to a fixed compensation structure that is not directly tied to performance.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a part of a typical management development program?

Accepted Answer

Workforce profiles are not typically a part of a management development program. Workforce profiles refer to gathering data on the demographics, skills, and other characteristics of a company's workforce in order to make decisions about organizational development and talent management. While this information may be useful in designing a management development program, it is not a component of the program itself. Job rotation, coaching/understudy programs, and action learning are all common components of management development programs.

Question 5

What is the difference between performance management and performance appraisals?

Accepted Answer

Performance management is an ongoing process that includes setting goals, providing feedback, coaching, and evaluating progress throughout the year. On the other hand, performance appraisals typically happen once per year and provide a snapshot of an employee's performance over a specific period.

Question 6

Which of the following is also known as a "cafeteria plan"?

Accepted Answer

A flexible benefit plan is also known as a "cafeteria plan" because it allows employees to choose from a menu of benefit options, similar to how they would choose items in a cafeteria line. Option A is an employee stock purchase plan, Option B is an employee stock ownership plan, and Option D is not a commonly used term in employee benefits.

Question 7

Bella has two young children and a full-time job. Her day care provider cannot work on Fridays. Bella's employer allows her to work Mondays through Thursdays, as long as she puts in ten hours each day. From this example, we know Bella's employer allows (a)________.

Accepted Answer

Bella's employer allows her to work longer hours for four days (Monday-Thursday) to have a day off on Friday. This is an example of a compressed workweek, where employees work more hours per day but have additional days off.

Question 8

The local library system offers some employees the opportunity to work five days per week for four hours each day. These employees also receive the same health insurance and paid time off plans that the employees working 40 hours per week receive. From this example, we know the library system is offering (a)________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of permanent part-time work, as the employees are consistently working a set amount of hours per week. The other options (flextime, job sharing, compressed workweek) all involve varying the amount of hours worked or the schedule worked, which is not the case in this scenario.

Question 9

Kent and his wife recently adopted a baby from India. Kent's company allowed him to take six weeks of paid time off to care for the baby at home. Kent's company is part of a new trend in offering him ________.

Accepted Answer

Kent's company is offering him paternity benefits, which allow him to take time off to care for his new child.

Question 10

Teresa just received a quarterly statement from the Vanguard Group, which shows earnings from investments using her pre-tax dollars. Teresa contributes a percentage of her salary to the plan and her company matches it. Teresa is participating in a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The statement mentions pre-tax dollars, percentage of salary contribution, and company matching, which are all key features of a 401(k) retirement plan. Pension plans typically do not have individual employee contributions or company matches, profit sharing plans usually distribute profits as a cash bonus rather than as investment earnings, and ESOPs are employee stock ownership plans that invest primarily in company stock, which is not mentioned in the statement.

Question 11

Simulation training is most suitable to all of the following jobs EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

Simulation training is important for jobs that require a high level of skill and practice, such as airline pilots, astronauts, and surgeons. Movie directors do not typically require simulation training as the skills necessary for their job are primarily creative and organizational. Therefore, C is the exception.

Question 12

Chelsea is a marketing manager and receives a lump sum payment from her company based on the company's higher-than-normal profits from last year. Chelsea's compensation is called a ________.

Accepted Answer

Chelsea's compensation is a lump sum payment based on the company's higher-than-normal profits from last year, which is a clear indication that she is receiving a bonus. Salaries and wages are generally paid on a regular basis, while commissions are typically paid based on sales and are not necessarily tied to a company's profits.

Question 13

Julia works in the HR department for a large firm. She works at her desk in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. She works from home on Mondays and Fridays so that she can help care for her elderly mother. From this example, we know Julia's company allows ________.

Accepted Answer

Julia's ability to work from home on Mondays and Fridays indicates that her company allows telecommuting, which means working from a remote location instead of being in the office. Flextime schedules refer to the ability to set your own work schedule within certain parameters, job sharing involves multiple employees sharing one job, and permanent part-time schedules refer to working less than full-time hours on a regular basis. None of these options are mentioned in the scenario, making telecommuting the best choice.

Question 14

While training for a new job, Vincenzo was given a computerized, multiple-choice test, which provided him immediate feedback regarding his answers. Vincenzo experienced a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

Programmed learning approach involves the use of computerized, self-paced instructional materials with immediate feedback, which accurately describes Vincenzo's experience.

Question 15

Carson is involved in a defined contribution plan where he actually owns part of his company without his having to purchase stock. Instead his company contributes its stock to his plan. Because of this, Carson feels more connected to the business and is motivated to ensure its success. Carson is participating in a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

Carson is participating in an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) where the company contributes its stock to the plan, making the employees owners of the company. This type of plan is designed to motivate employees by incentivizing them to work towards the success of the business, as their own personal wealth will increase as the company grows.

Question 16

Joshua is paid the minimum hourly rate for his work as a lifeguard. Joshua's compensation is called a ________.

Accepted Answer

Joshua is paid hourly, indicating that he receives a wage rather than a salary, which is typically a fixed annual amount. Commission and bonus are forms of additional compensation beyond a base wage or salary.

Question 17

Kathleen wants to be a nurse manager at a local children's hospital. She is studying for this position through a distance learning program and is taking a class offered by a university in another state. The type of training Kathleen is experiencing is ________.

Accepted Answer

Kathleen is taking a class through a distance learning program offered online by a university in another state. Therefore, the type of training Kathleen is experiencing is online.

Question 18

Suki earns $52,000 per year for her work as an associate marketing manager. Suki's compensation is called a ________.

Accepted Answer

A salary is a fixed amount of money paid to an employee on a regular basis, typically annually or monthly, regardless of the number of hours worked or the company's profits. Suki's annual pay of $52,000 is a salary.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a problem typically encountered with performance appraisals?

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisals typically occur annually or semi-annually, so the administrative pressure caused by high frequency appraisals is not a common problem encountered with performance appraisals. Instead, commonly encountered problems include difficulty quantifying performance, discomfort with making harsh comments, and the lack of a mechanism for following up on suggested changes or development.

Question 20

Yvette was recently hired as a restaurant manager for McDonald's and must attend classes at Hamburger University. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

Off-the-job training refers to training that takes place outside of the employee's normal work environment, such as attending classes at a separate training facility like Hamburger University.

Quiz 9: Human Resources and Labor Relations