Question 1

Recently,negotiations between a grocery store union and their employer broke down.The employees staged an organized effort to encourage their supporters to shop for groceries elsewhere.The employees organized a ________.

Accepted Answer

A boycott is a collective refusal to buy a company's products or services in order to protest against its policies or practices. In this case, the employees organized a boycott to encourage their supporters to shop for groceries elsewhere, as a way to put pressure on their employer during the negotiations.

Question 2

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 in which a union, like Firefighters Local 48, negotiates with employers on behalf of its members for better working conditions and terms of employment. It is a standard practice in labor relations and is protected under the National Labor Relations Act. The other options listed are not accurate descriptions of this process.

Question 3

Sydney recently saw a notice in her company newsletter about a new job opening within her company.Since it would be a promotion for her,she applied later that day.In this example,Sydney's company recruited externally.

Accepted Answer

Sydney is already an employee of the company, so she applied for an internal job opening, which means the company recruited internally, not externally.

Question 4

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 scenario is mediation. Mediation involves a neutral third party helping two parties in a dispute come to a resolution. Collective bargaining is a process in which representatives from labor and management negotiate the terms of a union collective bargaining agreement. Arbitration involves a third party making a binding decision on a dispute between two parties. Strikebreaking is when a company hires replacement workers during a strike, and a lockout is when an employer prevents employees from working by locking them out of the workplace.

Question 5

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 do not receive pay equal to their male counterparts. This assumption is false. The other assumptions are true and women still face challenges in the workplace related to sexism and gender inequality. The number of women in the workforce is also increasing.

Question 6

As a last resort,union workers may choose to ________ and agree to stop working.These actions gain considerable media publicity,especially when the workers ________ by walking outside the workplace with signs that reflect employee grievances.

Accepted Answer

In labor disputes, a "strike" is when workers stop working as a form of protest, and "picketing" is the act of demonstrating outside a workplace, often during a strike, to publicize their grievances.

Question 7

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

The disadvantage of hiring Greg is the expectation of a relatively high salary due to his experience and years in the workforce. The other options do not necessarily apply to older workers and may be based on individual characteristics rather than age.

Question 8

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

A golden parachute is a form of severance package, often offered to top executives or employees with specialized skills, that provides financial benefits in the event of a merger, acquisition, or other change in ownership. In this case, the company is offering Nicholas financial incentives to encourage him to retire, which can be considered a form of golden parachute.

Question 9

When plumbers from a local union stopped working during negotiations,management hired replacement plumbers so the effects on their business would be lessened.These replacement plumbers are called ________.

Accepted Answer

Replacement plumbers hired during a strike or work stoppage are commonly known as strikebreakers.

Question 10

Julia is the HR manager.Before she can start hiring staff at her company,she first must determine whether it has the correct number of employees.

Accepted Answer

Before hiring additional staff, an HR manager like Julia needs to assess if the company has the correct number of employees to meet its operational needs, ensuring efficiency and avoiding overstaffing or understaffing.

Question 11

Alexander needs to determine the current supply of employees.He consults a computerized file that details information about each employee-ages,educational backgrounds,training,specialized skills,etc.The file Alexander consults is the workforce profile.

Accepted Answer

The description provided matches the definition of a workforce profile, which is a tool used by organizations to manage their human resources by analyzing employee data such as age, education, skills, and training.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

It is illegal to terminate an employee for taking part in a legal proceeding or testifying against the company. This is considered retaliation and is against labor laws. However, downsizing, technology replacing workers, repeated documentation of poor performance, and outsourcing/offshoring jobs are legally defensible reasons for termination.

Question 13

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 may provide accommodations for differences in dress, time off for religious holidays, dietary options, and prayer breaks, it is unlikely that they would offer financial assistance for religious pilgrimages. This type of accommodation is less common and not typically part of an employer's religious accommodation policies.

Question 14

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

When a dispute between union and management reaches an impasse, they may opt for a third party to resolve the conflict. This process is called arbitration, where an impartial arbitrator listens to the arguments presented by both sides and makes a binding decision. Collective bargaining refers to the negotiation process between union and management; mediation is when a neutral third party helps to facilitate the negotiation process, but does not make a decision; strikebreaking is the act of hiring replacement workers during a strike; and a lockout is when management prevents workers from entering the workplace.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a reason that diversity in the workplace has increased?

Accepted Answer

The statement mentions increased numbers of U.S. citizens emigrating to other countries, which is not a reason for increased diversity in the workplace. Rather, diversity in the workplace has increased due to advancements in technology, increased numbers of employees immigrating from other countries, offshoring of work to other countries, and increased number of women entering the workforce.

Question 16

Recently,negotiations between a local housepainters union and their employer came to an impasse.The employer felt he had a legitimate position in the negotiations and refused to allow union member painters from entering the premises.This is called a ________.

Accepted Answer

A lockout is a situation where an employer prevents employees from entering the workplace during a labor dispute, often as a tactic to pressure employees into agreeing to employer demands. This situation matches the description in the question. A boycott is a consumer-led form of protest where participants refuse to use or purchase goods or services from a particular company or industry as a way to exert pressure. A strike is a work stoppage initiated by employees, often as a tactic to pressure employers into agreeing to labor demands. A picket is a form of protest where a group of workers gather outside a workplace to protest and potentially discourage others from entering. A strikebreaker is a person who is hired by an employer to replace striking workers during a labor dispute.

Question 17

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 coworker 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 unless there is a specific employment contract or collective bargaining agreement in place, an employer or employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason (or no reason at all), without legal consequences. Therefore, Johanna does not need to check the company handbook for acceptable reasons to quit.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

Orson and his coworkers formed a bargaining unit, as they are working together to negotiate better working conditions or pay. Option A, strikebreakers unit, refers to a group hired by an employer to work during a strike. Option B, mediation unit, refers to a neutral third party that assists in resolving a dispute. Option D, arbitration unit, refers to a group that adjudicates disputes between labor and management. Option E, craft group, refers to a group of workers who share the same skill or occupation.

Question 19

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 a labor union that represents direct-care nurses and negotiates their salary and working hour needs with hospitals.

Question 20

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 involves taking proactive measures to increase diversity and ensure that historically marginalized groups have opportunities for employment, education, and other opportunities. This may include setting targets or quotas for hiring underrepresented groups or implementing outreach programs to encourage a wider pool of candidates to apply.

Quiz 9: Human Resource Management