Question 1

Feedback is an important aspect of the disciplinary action process.

Accepted Answer

The disciplinary action process includes feedback from the point of taking appropriate disciplinary action to communicating rules to employees. When disciplinary action is taken, all employees should realize that certain behaviors are unacceptable and should not be repeated.

Question 2

Progressive disciplinary action is intended to ensure that the minimum penalty appropriate to the offense is imposed.

Accepted Answer

Progressive disciplinary action is intended to ensure that the minimum penalty appropriate to the offense is imposed. The goal of progressive disciplinary action is to formally communicate problem issues to employees in a direct and timely manner so that they can improve their performance.

Question 3

The disciplinary action process deals largely with infractions of rules.

Accepted Answer

The disciplinary action process deals largely with infractions of rules. Rules are established to better facilitate the accomplishment of organizational goals. Rules are specific guides to behavior on the job.

Question 4

Disciplinary action without punishment is most effective when all rules are explicitly stated in writing.

Accepted Answer

When disciplinary action without punishment is used, it is especially important that all rules be explicitly stated in writing. At the time of orientation, new workers should be told that repeated violations of different rules will be viewed in the same way as several violations of the same rule. This approach keeps workers from taking undue advantage of the process.

Question 5

The purpose of an exit interview is to alter behavior that can have a negative impact on achievement of organizational objectives.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of disciplinary action is to alter behavior that can have a negative impact on achievement of organizational objectives, not to chastise the violator. Exit interviews collect information from employees who are resigning.

Question 6

The status of most workers in an organization is permanently fixed.

Accepted Answer

The status of most workers is not permanently fixed in an organization. Employees constantly move upward, laterally, downward, and out of the organization.

Question 7

The courts have used ethical considerations to make certain exceptions to the doctrine of at-will-employment.

Accepted Answer

Some experts contend that even though an employer has a legal right to terminate an employee at will, ethical boundaries should be recognized. However, no law says these ethical considerations have to be followed.

Question 8

External employee relations comprise the human resource management activities associated with the movement of employees within the organization.

Accepted Answer

Internal employee relations comprise the human resource management activities associated with the movement of employees within the organization. Some topics related to internal employee relations include terminations, demotions, downsizing, transfers, promotions, and resignations.

Question 9

The progressive discipline approach focuses on eliminating punitive disciplinary policies and encouraging employees to take personal responsibility for their actions.

Accepted Answer

The process of giving a worker time off with pay to think about whether he or she wants to follow the rules and continue working for the company is called disciplinary action without punishment. The approach is to throw out formal punitive disciplinary action policies for situations such as chronic tardiness or a bad attitude in favor of affirming procedures that make employees want to take personal responsibility for their actions and be models for the corporate mission.

Question 10

The courts have made no exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine.

Accepted Answer

The courts have made certain exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine. One of these includes permitting employees to bring claims based on representations made in employment handbooks.

Question 11

In approximately two of every three U.S. jobs, the worker's continued employment depends almost entirely on the continued goodwill of his or her employer.

Accepted Answer

Notwithstanding various employment standards to avoid that are based on laws, court decisions, and executive orders, approximately two of every three U.S. workers depend almost entirely on the continued goodwill of their employer. Individuals falling into this category are known as "at-will employees."

Question 12

The progressive disciplinary action model was developed in response to the Taft-Hartley Act of 1935.

Accepted Answer

Progressive disciplinary action is intended to ensure that the minimum penalty appropriate to the offense is imposed. The progressive disciplinary model was developed in response to the National Labor Relations Act.

Question 13

The disciplinary action process is relatively static.

Accepted Answer

The disciplinary action process is dynamic and ongoing. Because one person's actions can affect others in a work group, the proper application of disciplinary action fosters acceptable behavior by other group members.

Question 14

The goal of progressive disciplinary action is to formally communicate problem issues to employees in a direct and timely manner so that they can improve their performance.

Accepted Answer

Progressive disciplinary action is intended to ensure that the minimum penalty appropriate to the offense is imposed. The goal of progressive disciplinary action is to formally communicate problem issues to employees in a direct and timely manner so that they can improve their performance.

Question 15

The process of giving a worker time off with pay to think about whether he or she wants to follow the rules and continue working for the company is called disciplinary action without punishment.

Accepted Answer

The process of giving a worker time off with pay to think about whether he or she wants to follow the rules and continue working for the company is called disciplinary action without punishment. The approach is to throw out formal punitive disciplinary action policies for situations such as chronic tardiness or a bad attitude in favor of affirming procedures that make employees want to take personal responsibility for their actions and be models for the corporate mission.

Question 16

Disciplinary action is the state of employee self-control and orderly conduct and indicates the extent of genuine teamwork within an organization.

Accepted Answer

Discipline is the state of employee self-control and orderly conduct that indicates the extent of genuine teamwork within an organization. Disciplinary action invokes a penalty against an employee who fails to meet established standards.

Question 17

Employment at will is a written contract established immediately after an employee accepts a position at a firm.

Accepted Answer

Employment at will is an unwritten contract created when an employee agrees to work for an employer but no agreement exists as to how long the parties expect the employment to last.

Question 18

Effective disciplinary action addresses the employee's wrongful behavior, not the employee as a person.

Accepted Answer

Effective disciplinary action addresses the employee's wrongful behavior, not the employee as a person. Incorrectly administered disciplinary action is destructive to both the employee and the organization.

Question 19

If the circumstances surrounding all disciplinary action situations were the same, the hot stove approach would be effective at all times.

Accepted Answer

If the circumstances surrounding all disciplinary action were the same, there would be no problem with this approach. However, situations are often quite different, and many variables may be present in each disciplinary action case.

Question 20

After management has established rules, it must communicate these rules to employees.

Accepted Answer

After management has established rules, it must communicate these rules to employees. All employees must know the standards in order to be disciplined persons. Individuals cannot obey a rule if they do not know it exists.

Quiz 13: Internal Employee Relations