Question 1

An employment test is judged to have a(n) ____ on minority applicants if the pass rate for the minority group is less than about 80 percent of the pass rate for the majority group members.

Accepted Answer

Adverse impact occurs when a hiring practice or employment test disproportionately excludes members of a protected group, such as minorities. The 80% rule is used by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as a guideline for determining whether adverse impact has occurred. Therefore, if the pass rate for minority applicants is less than 80% of the pass rate for majority applicants, the employment test is said to have adverse impact on the minority group.

Question 2

A union can represent wage earners, but not salaried employees.

Accepted Answer

Unions can represent both wage earners and salaried employees.

Question 3

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act did NOT prohibit discrimination on the basis of ____. A later act prohibited it.

Accepted Answer

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. However, age was not included in the list of protected classes. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was enacted in 1967 to prohibit age discrimination against employees who are 40 years or older.

Question 4

Organizations holding federal contracts exceeding a certain dollar value must have affirmative action plans according to

Accepted Answer

Affirmative action plans for federal contractors are required by executive orders, specifically Executive Order 11246. This executive order requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities, particularly for underrepresented groups such as minorities and women, and to eliminate discrimination in the workplace.

Question 5

Fifty percent of the firm's employees must sign authorization cards before the National Labor Relations Board will conduct a union certification election.

Accepted Answer

The correct number of employees needed to sign authorization cards varies depending on the circumstances, but 50% is not a universal requirement. It may be higher or lower in different cases.

Question 6

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is enforced by

Accepted Answer

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is responsible for investigating charges of discrimination, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and providing education and outreach to employers and employees about their rights and responsibilities. The other options (A, B, D, and E) are not directly responsible for enforcing Title VII.

Question 7

The increasing use of knowledge workers has made human resources even more important.

Accepted Answer

Knowledge workers rely heavily on their skills, expertise, and experience, which makes it crucial for organizations to attract, retain, and develop these workers. Human resources play a vital role in managing and optimizing these intangible assets of an organization, making it even more important with the increasing use of knowledge workers.

Question 8

The purpose of grievance procedures is to administer and enforce the labor agreement reached during collective bargaining.

Accepted Answer

Grievance procedures are a mechanism for resolving disputes between employers and employees over the interpretation or application of a collective bargaining agreement. The purpose is to ensure that the agreement is upheld and enforced, which ultimately benefits both parties by promoting cooperation and productivity.

Question 9

A law proposed in Maine planned to deny the minimum wage to welfare recipients in jobs that they take as part of their work requirements. This proposal was in defiance of the

Accepted Answer

The proposed law in Maine that would deny the minimum wage to welfare recipients in jobs that they take as part of their work requirements is in defiance of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.

Question 10

Given the environment in which organizations must function today, which of the following statements about human resource management (HRM) is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

HRM should not be left solely to line managers as it involves specialized knowledge and skills, such as legal compliance and workforce planning, that require dedicated HR professionals. HRM should involve collaboration between HR professionals and line managers to effectively manage and develop the organization's workforce.

Question 11

A good compensation system can stimulate high performance at a cost reasonable for one's industry.

Accepted Answer

A well-designed compensation system can motivate employees to perform at a high level while balancing the cost with industry standards. By offering incentives or bonuses for meeting or exceeding goals, employees are encouraged to work harder and achieve better results. This can ultimately benefit the company as it leads to increased productivity and profitability.

Question 12

Passive nondiscrimination requires employers to

Accepted Answer

Passive nondiscrimination means that employers must give all job applicants equal opportunity to be hired, regardless of their race, gender, or other protected characteristics. This does not require employers to have hiring quotas, make their labor force match the demographics of the relevant labor market, give preference to any particular group, or have an affirmative action plan.

Question 13

Which of the following labor regulations could have potentially prevented a 2006 mine accident in West Virginia that killed 11 miners?

Accepted Answer

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) sets safety and health standards for workplaces and requires employers to provide a safe work environment. This regulation could have potentially prevented the 2006 mine accident in West Virginia by ensuring that the mine complied with safety standards and provided adequate training and equipment to prevent accidents.

Question 14

Ed contracts with various engineering companies to work on specific jobs. When the jobs are concluded, he may begin work for another company or for the same company on a different job. Ed is an example of a contingent worker.

Accepted Answer

Ed's work is not permanent or continuous and is dependent on contractual arrangements with different companies. This is the definition of a contingent worker.

Question 15

Employment tests that have been determined to have an adverse impact can be used as selection devices ONLY if they

Accepted Answer

Employment tests that have been determined to have an adverse impact can only be used as selection devices if they have been shown to predict success on the job. If they cannot demonstrate job-relatedness, alternatives that do not discriminate should be considered. Requiring EEOC approval, grandfather clauses, or presidential executive orders are not valid reasons to justify discriminatory employment practices. Continuation of discriminatory hiring practices is also not a valid justification.

Question 16

Which of the following federal laws does NOT have a direct impact on human resource management?

Accepted Answer

The Trademark Law Revision Act of 1988 primarily deals with intellectual property law and is not directly related to human resource management. The other options listed are all federal laws that have a direct impact on HRM.

Question 17

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act

Accepted Answer

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act outlaws discrimination against workers older than 40.

Question 18

The best way to avoid having your employees vote to have a union is to treat them so that they do not feel the need for one.

Accepted Answer

When employees feel valued, supported, and fairly compensated, they are less likely to seek representation from a union. Creating an open and communicative work environment, respecting employees' rights, providing benefits, and promoting a positive culture are all effective methods for preventing unionization.

Question 19

Traditionally, employees added value to organizations because of what they knew.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Traditionally, employees added value to organizations because...

Question 20

Those activities directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce are called

Accepted Answer

Human resource management encompasses all activities related to attracting, developing, and maintaining an effective workforce, including recruiting, selection, employee relations, and labor relations.

Quiz 13: Managing Human Resources