Question 1

Raheem works in the IT department of a large investment firm. His employer is very conscious of Raheem's religious needs and has been most accommodating. Which of the following is something Raheem's employer likely does NOT provide?

Accepted Answer

While Raheem's employer is accommodating of his religious needs, it is unlikely that they would provide financial assistance for his religious pilgrimages. This would be considered a personal expense and not a religious accommodation that is typically provided by employers.

Question 2

Aneal is a very successful employee in the IT department. His supervisor wishes to recognize him with a promotion to give him more responsibilities, but knows Aneal does not want to manage other employees. What option does Aneal's supervisor have?

Accepted Answer

Aneal's supervisor should offer him a position on an individual contributor career track with the title of senior IT specialist. This would recognize his success and give him more responsibilities without requiring him to manage other employees. It is important to respect Aneal's wishes and not force him into a supervisory role that he may not be interested in. Lowering his level of responsibility or waiting for him to change his mind about supervising is not a constructive approach.

Question 3

Veronica is reentering the workforce after years away caring for her elderly parents. She is making many assumptions about today's workplace. Which of Veronica's assumptions is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, the gender pay gap still exists, and women typically earn less than their male counterparts for the same job.

Question 4

Orson works with a group of employees who would like to form a union. Orson and a majority of his co-workers band together to form a group responsible for negotiating better working conditions or pay. Orson and his co-workers formed ________.

Accepted Answer

Orson and his co-workers formed a bargaining unit, which is a group of employees who band together to negotiate better working conditions or pay with their employer.

Question 5

When union and management come to an impasse, sometimes the dispute is sent to a third party for a decision. This process is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The process described is known as arbitration, where a neutral third party is brought in to make a decision and resolve the dispute. Collective bargaining is the negotiation process between union and management to come to an agreement. Mediation is a similar process to arbitration, but the mediator facilitates the conversation and helps the parties come to their own agreement. Strikebreaking is a practice where management hires replacement workers during a strike.

Question 6

Johanna decides she is bored with her current job and is ready to quit. She wants to take some time off and then look for a new job in a different city. Her co-worker tells Johanna to check the company handbook to make sure her reasons for quitting are acceptable. Johanna knows this is not necessary because of the legal doctrine, ________.

Accepted Answer

The legal doctrine of employment at will means that either the employer or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, as long as it is not based on discrimination. Therefore, Johanna does not need to check the company handbook for acceptable reasons for quitting as she has the right to do so under the employment at will doctrine.

Question 7

Nicholas works for a marketing firm, which is looking to cut staff due to financial hardships. Since Nicholas is nearing 70 years old, the company decides to encourage him to retire by offering him various financial incentives. This worker buyout is also known as a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The given scenario describes a golden parachute, which is a financial incentive offered to highly paid executives or key employees to encourage them to retire or leave the company voluntarily during a difficult financial period. A bonus, commission, or incentive-payment structure is a different type of financial compensation, which does not necessarily entail encouraging an employee to retire.

Question 8

Greg is 57 years old and is looking for a new job even though he knows many companies prefer not to hire older workers. Which of the following is likely a disadvantage of hiring Greg?

Accepted Answer

Many companies may assume that older workers have more experience and therefore expect a higher salary. However, this assumption is not always true, as older workers may be willing to negotiate their salary in exchange for job security and benefits. Absenteeism and a reluctance to learn new skills are not necessarily disadvantages that apply to all older workers. Additionally, some older workers may have lower training costs due to their previous experience in similar roles, while others may need more time to adjust to new technologies or workflows. Therefore, option B, an expectation of a fairly high salary, is likely to be the most significant disadvantage that Greg faces in his job search as an older worker.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a legally defensible reason for terminating an employee?

Accepted Answer

Testifying against the company in a legal proceeding is protected under whistleblower laws and terminating an employee for this reason would be considered retaliation and illegal. A, B, and D are legally defensible reasons for termination.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a reason for greater diversity in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

Increased numbers of U.S. citizens emigrating to other countries would not directly contribute to greater diversity in the workplace, as they would not be present in the workplace to begin with. The other options all describe factors that could lead to greater diversity in the workplace.

Question 11

Marvin has worked for his company for five years and feels it is time to increase his level of responsibility and stature in the company. Marvin is seeking a ________.

Accepted Answer

Marvin wants to increase his level of responsibility and stature in the company, which can only be achieved through a promotion. Retirement, termination, and relocation do not apply to his situation.

Question 12

When union and management come to an impasse, Sarah works as a neutral third party who assists them privately and collectively to identify issues and to develop proposals for resolution. This process is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The process described in the statement is mediation, where a neutral third party assists in resolving a dispute between union and management. Collective bargaining is the process of negotiations between union and management to reach a collective agreement. Arbitration is when a neutral third party acts as a judge and makes a binding decision to resolve the dispute. Strikebreaking is when an organization hires replacement workers during a strike to keep operations running.

Question 13

The California Nurses Association was formed to negotiate the unique salary needs and working hour structures of direct-care nurses with the hospitals in which they work. The CNA is an example of a ________.

Accepted Answer

The California Nurses Association is specifically mentioned as a union formed to negotiate on behalf of nurses, which fits the definition of a labor union.

Question 14

Doreen is a marketing instructor at the branch office of a local college. When she cannot teach one of her evening classes, she hires her friend Patrick to fill in for her. In this case, Patrick is a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

Patrick is a contingent worker because he is hired on a temporary basis to fill in for Doreen when she cannot teach one of her evening classes.

Question 15

When Firefighters Local 48 negotiates directly and only with its employers for better work conditions and terms of employment, it is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Collective bargaining is the process where a union, such as Firefighters Local 48, negotiates with their employer over wages, benefits, and other working conditions on behalf of their members. It is a direct negotiation between the union and the employer, with the goal of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.

Question 16

Barney is an HR manager and would like to see a more diversified workforce at his company. He decides the best way to do this is to follow a plan that requires the company to employ a certain number of minorities and women. This plan is otherwise known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The plan described in the scenario is affirmative action, which is a policy that requires an organization to take steps to increase the representation of minorities and women in its workforce, especially in areas where they have been historically underrepresented. This can be accomplished through targeted recruitment efforts, outreach programs, and other initiatives that aim to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Question 17

What is the retirement age in the United States?

Accepted Answer

There is no set retirement age in the United States. Employees can retire whenever they choose or are able to do so, regardless of age. However, many people choose to retire around the age of 65 when they become eligible for certain retirement benefits such as Medicare and Social Security.

Question 18

Linda owns a bakery and wants to hire Bill, a Web-page developer, to create a new site for her company. Linda does not need Bill on staff permanently. Bill would be considered a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

An independent contractor is someone who provides services to an organization but is not considered an employee. They may work on a project basis or for a specific duration of time, but they are not part of the company's permanent staff. In this scenario, Bill would be considered an independent contractor as Linda does not need him on staff permanently.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a reason to seek out temporary work?

Accepted Answer

Seeking retirement and pension plans is not a reason to seek out temporary work. The other options listed provide valid reasons for seeking temporary employment.

Question 20

Jamie is a school nurse and prefers to work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Her friend Cindy works as the school nurse on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They both work eight-hour days and are considered part-time employees. From this example, we know the school is offering (a)________.

Accepted Answer

Jamie and Cindy are part-time employees who share the role of school nurse, which is an example of job sharing. They both work a set schedule but divide the workload between them. None of the other options (flextime, telecommuting, compressed workweek) involve sharing a single job between two part-time employees.

Quiz 9: Human Resources and Labor Relations