Question 1

Just Right Construction Company has a system of progressive discipline. Even so, in which situation would it be appropriate for the company to follow a stricter policy and dismiss an employee after a first offense?

Accepted Answer

Ignoring safety procedures and causing serious damage is a serious offense that puts the company and its employees at risk. Dismissing the employee after a first offense may be necessary to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

Question 2

According to the hot-stove rule, which quality makes discipline more effective?

Accepted Answer

The hot-stove rule suggests that discipline should be immediate, just like touching a hot stove results in an immediate burn, making the consequences of breaking a rule more effective.

Question 3

The top management at Lion Manufacturers decides to search its employees on the job. However, Rajat, Lion's HR manager, believes that it could generate privacy issues. Which condition would strengthen Rajat's belief and maximize the likelihood of a lawsuit?

Accepted Answer

Searching employees' communications without probable cause violates their privacy rights and could lead to a lawsuit. Option A would not strengthen Rajat's belief as it suggests that employees have given their consent, which could be coerced or not freely given. Option B would help to ensure consistency, but it does not address the privacy concerns. Option C suggests legal and permissible searches, but it could still violate employees' privacy rights. Option D seems fair, but it does not address the privacy concerns.

Question 4

The board of directors of Nature's Crop is worried about company theft and decides to institute an immediate search of the employees on the job. However, the head of the HR department, Lisa, believes that doing so could maximize the likelihood of a lawsuit due to privacy concerns. Which condition would strengthen Lisa's belief?

Accepted Answer

Conducting searches only on employees and not supervisors could be seen as discriminatory or unfair, potentially increasing the risk of a lawsuit due to privacy concerns or perceptions of unequal treatment.

Question 5

What is a typical first response in the progressive discipline system?

Accepted Answer

A typical first response in the progressive discipline system is an unofficial spoken warning. This step is often informal and serves as a preliminary measure to address minor issues before escalating to more formal disciplinary actions.

Question 6

Matt is employed as a supervisor at Total Charge Industries. However, he gets fired from his job when he refuses to break local laws and discharge harmful chemicals from the company's production facility into a nearby river. Matt files a wrongful discharge suit Total Charge Industries. Which exception to the employment-at-will doctrine is Matt likely to choose when filing his suit?

Accepted Answer

Matt is likely to choose the public policy exception to the employment-at-will doctrine because he was terminated for refusing to break local laws and discharge harmful chemicals, which goes against public policy. The public policy exception prohibits employers from terminating employees for reasons that violate basic societal values or government policies.

Question 7

Fernando, a manager at a top engineering company, believes he can hire a few employees by promising them job security and later terminating them if business slows down. On what grounds could such a termination be considered a wrongful discharge?

Accepted Answer

Promising job security and then terminating employees when business slows down deviates from the promise made in the work agreement, which may lead to a wrongful discharge claim. The other options do not address the issue of promised job security and wrongful discharge.

Question 8

Saad was an employee at a chemical company called FGR Inc. He noticed that several of the security personnel at FGR allowed tankers to be filled over the legal limit with highly inflammable gases. Saad gathered ample evidence of such instances and presented it to senior management. A few months later, the company had not acted, and Saad contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Less than a week later, the company fired Saad. Assuming that Saad had not had disciplinary issues and wanted to file a claim alleging he was wrongfully discharged, what would be the strongest basis for his claim?

Accepted Answer

Saad's strongest basis for a claim is that he was disciplined for doing what the law requires, which in this case was reporting unsafe and illegal activities (overfilling tankers with highly inflammable gases) to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This action is protected under whistleblower laws, which safeguard employees who report illegal or unsafe practices.

Question 9

Discount Furniture has seen sales decline in a highly competitive environment. To be able to offer a lower-cost product, management decides to close its factory in North Carolina, laying off 85 workers from the company's 465-person workforce. Under the Workers' Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act, what must Discount Furniture do?

Accepted Answer

Under the Workers' Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act, companies with 100 or more employees must give their employees 60 days' notice before laying off a significant portion of their workforce. In this case, Discount Furniture is laying off approximately 18% of its workforce, so it would be required to provide 60 days' notice to the affected employees before beginning the layoffs.

Question 10

If employers covered by the ________ do not notify the employees (and their union, if applicable) of layoffs, they may have to offer back pay and fringe benefits and pay penalties as well.

Accepted Answer

The Workers' Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act (WARN Act) requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide at least 60 days' advance notice of plant closings and mass layoffs to affected employees or their representatives (such as a union). Failure to comply with the WARN Act can result in the employer having to offer back pay and benefits, in addition to paying penalties. The other options listed do not specifically require notification of layoffs or provide penalties for failure to do so.

Question 11

With which step does the progressive discipline process end?

Accepted Answer

The progressive discipline process is a series of steps starting from an unofficial spoken warning and leading to more severe consequences, with the ultimate consequence being termination. Therefore, the process ends with termination.

Question 12

What does an employer violate when it terminates an employee for refusing to do something unethical, unsafe, and illegal?

Accepted Answer

When an employer terminates an employee for refusing to do something unethical, unsafe, and illegal, they are in violation of public policy. This is because the employee is acting in the interest of public policy by refusing to participate in something that is against the law, immoral or dangerous. By terminating the employee for doing so, the employer is violating public policy and potentially subjecting themselves to legal action.

Question 13

When conducting a workplace search, employers can act fairly and minimize the likelihood of a lawsuit by

Accepted Answer

Justifying that the organization has work rules that provide for searches is the best choice because it establishes a clear legal basis for the search and demonstrates that it was conducted in accordance with company policies. This can minimize the likelihood of a lawsuit and also help to ensure that the search is conducted fairly and consistently for all employees. Hushing the company's search policies prior to the search, searching employees' workplace without their knowledge, and conducting random searches without probable cause are all likely to raise legal concerns and could result in legal action being taken against the employer. Using non-company personnel to conduct the search may be appropriate in some cases, but it is not essential if the search is conducted in accordance with established company policies and procedures.

Question 14

Who has the main responsibility of developing a formal discipline process for the workplace?

Accepted Answer

The human resource department is typically responsible for developing and implementing formal discipline processes, as this falls under their overall responsibility of managing employee relations and enforcing company policies. While other departments may be involved in the process, ultimately the HR department is responsible for ensuring that the process is fair, consistent, and effective. Outplacement counselors, legal department, sales force, and arbitrators may have different responsibilities within the discipline process, but do not have the primary responsibility of developing it.

Question 15

After Fran, a human resource manager, hears reports that some employees are drinking liquor on the job, she arranges to conduct a random search for evidence. Which action would be the most appropriate way for Fran's company to act fairly regarding employees' privacy in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Requesting consent before gathering information would be the most appropriate way for Fran's company to act fairly regarding employees' privacy in this scenario. It is important to respect the employees' privacy rights and obtain their consent before conducting any searches. The other options would be unfair, potentially discriminatory, and could violate the employees' privacy rights.

Question 16

Conducting personal business online during work hours is called

Accepted Answer

Cyberslacking refers to the practice of using work hours to conduct personal business online, including checking social media accounts, online shopping, or watching online videos, among other activities.

Question 17

Gizmo Multimedia Corp. is an organization that follows the process of progressive discipline. The organization communicates with Lyla, an employee, about unacceptable behavior and responds to a series of her offenses. Which step would immediately precede a threat of temporary suspension?

Accepted Answer

The step that would immediately precede a threat of temporary suspension in the process of progressive discipline is an official written warning. This is usually the second step in the disciplinary process, following an unofficial spoken warning. If Lyla's behavior does not improve following the official written warning, the next step may be a threat of temporary suspension.

Question 18

Henry, an employee at Marine Corp., is known for his short temper. One morning, he gets into a heated argument with one of his supervisors and responds with hostility. Rather than immediately terminating Henry, his manager, Evelyn, calls him in for a discussion. Evelyn treats Henry with dignity and respect, listening to what he has to say about the incident. This scenario can be best categorized as one that uses

Accepted Answer

Interactional justice refers to the fairness and respect shown to individuals in the process of making decisions and resolving disputes. In this scenario, Evelyn demonstrates interactional justice by treating Henry with dignity and respect, actively listening to his perspective, and trying to understand his behavior. This approach prioritizes communication, understanding, and resolution rather than punishment or retribution.

Question 19

Which process seeks to avert misbehavior and to correct, rather than merely punish, misbehavior?

Accepted Answer

Progressive discipline seeks to avert misbehavior by correcting the behavior rather than just punishing the employee. It involves a series of steps such as verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension, and termination. The goal is to correct the behavior before it reaches a point where termination is necessary. The other choices, such as the hot-stove rule, fair representation, benchmarking, and peer review technique, do not directly address misbehavior or the corrective action process.

Question 20

Which principle of discipline holds that an organization's discipline should give a clear-cut warning and follow up with consistent, objective, and immediate consequences?

Accepted Answer

The hot-stove rule holds that an organization's discipline should give a clear-cut warning and follow up with consistent, objective, and immediate consequences, much like touching a hot stove elicits an immediate and consistent consequence. This approach helps ensure fairness and objectivity in the disciplinary process.

Quiz 11: Separating and Retaining Employees