Question 1

Peter, a 35-year-old white man, is in a production unit with one other white man, two women, and a Hispanic man. Over the past year, the two women and the Hispanic man have received the best assignments. On two occasions when Peter requested a specific assignment because he felt it was more interesting and offered more learning opportunities, his request was denied and the assignment was given to one of the women. Peter is experiencing

Accepted Answer

Peter is experiencing reverse discrimination, which is discrimination against a member of a dominant or majority group in favor of a minority or historically disadvantaged group. In this case, the women and Hispanic man are receiving preferential treatment based on their gender and ethnicity, while Peter is being denied opportunities because of his race and gender. This is not affirmative action, which is a policy designed to address past discrimination and ensure diversity, nor is it sexual harassment or retaliation.

Question 2

Adverse impact means that

Accepted Answer

Adverse impact refers to the unintended discriminatory effect of an employment practice or policy. It occurs when a higher percentage of individuals from a protected class (i.e. based on race, gender, age, etc.) are rejected for employment, promotion, or other opportunities compared to non-protected individuals. Men being paid less than women, efforts to recruit minorities, and allowing religion as a bona fide occupational qualification are not necessarily examples of adverse impact.

Question 3

An employer interviews 150 qualified applicants, 100 whites and 50 Hispanics. If 25 whites are hired, a minimum of how many Hispanics would have to be hired to avoid charges of adverse impact?

Accepted Answer

To calculate adverse impact, we need to determine the selection rates for both groups.

Selection rate for whites = 25/100 = 0.25
Selection rate for Hispanics = x/50

To avoid adverse impact, the selection rate for Hispanics should be greater than or equal to 80% of the selection rate for whites:

x/50 >= 0.8(0.25)
x/50 >= 0.2
x >= 10

Therefore, a minimum of 10 Hispanics would need to be hired to avoid charges of adverse impact.

Question 4

When pursuing an adverse impact claim, an individual is alleging

Accepted Answer

Pursuing an adverse impact claim means alleging unintentional discrimination against a protected class. Adverse impact occurs when a seemingly neutral policy or practice has a disproportionate and negative impact on members of a protected class. Therefore, the correct option is C as it refers to unintentional discrimination against a protected class.

Question 5

Homosexuals are protected from discrimination mainly through

Accepted Answer

Fair Employment Practice laws at the state or local level generally include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, there is currently no federal law explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, although some argue that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides protection under the category of "sex discrimination." The other options (B, C, and D) provide protections for other marginalized groups, but not specifically for homosexuals.

Question 6

Fair employment practice laws

Accepted Answer

Fair employment practice laws are established at the state level and can be more comprehensive than federal laws. They aim to prevent discrimination based on factors such as race, gender, religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. Marital status and political affiliation may or may not be included depending on the state's specific laws. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces federal employment discrimination laws, but it does not establish fair employment practice laws. The Veterans' Readjustment Act pertains specifically to veterans and their employment rights.

Question 7

Which of the following are the two forms of sexual harassment recognized by the EEOC?

Accepted Answer

The two forms of sexual harassment recognized by the EEOC are quid pro quo (in which employment decisions are based on the submission to or rejection of sexual advances) and hostile environment (in which a work environment becomes intimidating, hostile, or offensive due to unwelcome sexual conduct). The other options listed are not recognized forms of sexual harassment by the EEOC.

Question 8

Tim's analysis revealed that as a class, Hispanic workers at his firm are underutilized. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

Underutilized means that the proportion of Hispanic workers in the firm is less than the proportion of Hispanic workers in the general population or external figures.

Question 9

To comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, employers should do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires employers to verify the citizenship or immigration status of their employees, complete and retain form I-9, and present it for inspection upon request. However, the Act does not mandate that employers refuse to hire immigrants. In fact, it is illegal discrimination to refuse to hire someone based solely on their national origin or citizenship status.

Question 10

When an employment selection instrument is related to job success, the instrument is said to have

Accepted Answer

When an employment selection instrument is related to job success, it means that the instrument is measuring what it was intended to measure, and therefore has validity. The other answer choices are not relevant to the concept of selection instrument validity.

Question 11

ValuTech has been found guilty of past discrimination. It is now obligated to follow a court-ordered program to reach specified hiring and promotional goals. This program will be implemented through a(n)

Accepted Answer

A consent decree is a court-approved agreement between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and a company found guilty of discrimination. The decree outlines specific actions the company must take to remedy the situation, such as implementing a hiring and promotional program with specific goals. The company is obligated to follow the program outlined in the consent decree, and failure to do so can result in further legal consequences. The other options (validation study, change form, executive order) are not relevant in this situation.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT under the jurisdiction of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Accepted Answer

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to private employers in interstate commerce with more than 15 employees. Private employers with less than ten employees are generally exempt.

Question 13

Disparate treatment cases involve

Accepted Answer

Disparate treatment cases involve purposeful discrimination, meaning that an employer or individual intentionally treats someone unfairly based on their race, gender, religion, etc. Discharge complaints (A) refer to cases where an employee is terminated from their job, while affirmative action goals (C) refer to efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Immigration cases (D) pertain to legal issues surrounding immigration laws and policies, and are not necessarily related to employment discrimination.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT an example of sexual harassment?

Accepted Answer

Paying a man more than a woman for doing the same job is an example of gender discrimination and unequal pay, not sexual harassment. Sexual harassment involves unwanted sexual advances or behavior. Options B, C, and D are examples of sexual harassment.

Question 15

In the past, Fulton Foods hired very few workers who were protected class members. Over the past three years, the company has been actively encouraging employment diversity. One step Fulton Foods has taken is to post all job opportunities with minority agencies. Fulton Foods is engaging in

Accepted Answer

Fulton Foods is engaging in affirmative action, which is a policy that promotes equal opportunities for groups that have historically been discriminated against, such as minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities. By actively encouraging employment diversity and posting job opportunities with minority agencies, Fulton Foods is taking steps to increase the representation of protected class members in its workforce. This is not reverse discrimination, as the company is not discriminating against non-protected class members in favor of protected class members. Workforce utilization is a term used to describe the efficient use of available workforce resources, which is not applicable in this scenario. Consent decrees are legal agreements between an employer and a government agency to address discrimination or other violations of employment law, but are not applicable in this scenario as there is no mention of any legal dispute.

Question 16

An employer interviews 100 qualified applicants, 60 whites and 40 blacks. If 30 whites are hired, a minimum of how many blacks should be hired to avoid charges of adverse impact?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An employer interviews 100 qualified applicants, 60...

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a valid defense to an alleged Equal Pay Act violation?

Accepted Answer

The Equal Pay Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of wages or benefits. The law states that men and women must receive equal pay for substantially equal work, regardless of differences in seniority, productivity, performance, or any other factor unrelated to job duties. Therefore, paying a male worker more because he has dependents is not a valid defense as it is unrelated to job duties and is based on a protected characteristic (family status).

Question 18

The procedural document developed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the

Accepted Answer

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures is a procedural document developed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which provides guidelines for employers to follow when selecting and hiring employees. The other options listed are not directly related to employment practices and discrimination.

Question 19

An important step in avoiding discriminatory practices during selection is to

Accepted Answer

Using validation studies to demonstrate the job-relatedness of a selection instrument is crucial in avoiding discriminatory practices during selection. This ensures that the selection process is based on the requirements of the job and not biased towards any individual or group. Using multiple interviewers and requiring applicants to complete an application form may also help in ensuring fairness in the selection process, but they do not address the issue of job-relatedness. Basing selection decisions solely on interviews can also lead to bias and discrimination.

Question 20

According to the Uniform Guidelines, a rule of thumb that identifies selection practices that favor a disproportionate number of nonprotected class members is the

Accepted Answer

The four-fifths rule is a commonly used and widely accepted rule of thumb that identifies selection practices that have an adverse impact on the hiring or promotion of a protected group. It states that if the selection rate for a protected group is less than four-fifths (or 80%) of the selection rate for the non-protected group, then the selection process may be considered discriminatory and further investigation may be necessary.

Quiz 3: Equal Employment Opportunity and Human Resources Management