Question 1

A recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action held that:

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action specifically addressed the importance of diversity in police forces in racially diverse populations, stating that it could be considered a compelling interest for affirmative action. However, the ruling did not endorse the use of quota systems or selection based solely on race. The ruling also recognized the potential benefits of ensuring that schools are racially diverse, though it did not mandate such practices.

Question 2

What is one potential problem with the current implementation of the FMLA?

Accepted Answer

One potential problem with the current implementation of FMLA is that many employees cannot afford to take unpaid leave. This means that some employees may not be able to take advantage of the protections the FMLA provides, which may cause them to miss out on time with their families or to jeopardize their jobs by taking unauthorized absences. The other options (A, B, and D) are either inaccurate or do not reflect significant issues with the FMLA.

Question 3

Recent research has demonstrated that individuals who benefit from affirmative action are:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that individuals who benefit from affirmative action are sometimes viewed as incompetent due to stereotypes and biases, despite their qualifications.

Question 4

In order to hire a disabled individual for a job, a small company would have to renovate its building to put in elevators and ramps. The company might argue that these renovations are not possible because of their high expense. If this were the case, we would say that the required renovations are an example of:

Accepted Answer

The required renovations are an example of undue hardship. Undue hardship is when an accommodation would cause significant difficulty or expense for a company, taking into account the company’s size, financial resources, and business needs. In this case, the cost of renovations would be considered too high for a small company, which would cause too much financial burden. Therefore, the company would not be required to provide accommodations under the law.

Question 5

Which of these is the BEST example of a BFOQ?

Accepted Answer

A Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) allows for discrimination based on religion, sex, or national origin when it is "reasonably necessary to the normal operation of that particular business or enterprise." In this case, requiring female staff for monitoring security footage of the women's changing room is directly related to privacy concerns and is a legitimate BFOQ. Choices B and C involve discriminatory practices not based on job necessity, and choice D refers to Affirmative Action Plans (AAP), which aim to increase diversity but do not justify discrimination based on BFOQ.

Question 6

Mary is 55 years old, Jeff is 21 years old, and Jorge is 45 years old. All three work at a computer software firm and all were fired, replaced by three new 20-year-old employees. Which employees are covered under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?

Accepted Answer

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to individuals who are 40 years of age or older. Therefore, Mary and Jorge are the only ones who are covered, since Jeff is only 21 years old.

Question 7

Theresa works in a manufacturing plant where many of the male employees put up photographs of bikini-clad women in their work areas, and she is often groped by male employees. Her supervisor ignores her complaints, telling her to "take it as a compliment." This type of sexual harassment is known as:

Accepted Answer

A hostile work environment refers to an environment in which an employee is subjected to harassment or discriminatory behavior that interferes with their ability to do their job. The behavior can be physical, verbal, or visual and can include sexual harassment, such as displaying sexually explicit materials or making unwanted sexual advances. In this case, Theresa is being subjected to both visual and physical sexual harassment, and her supervisor's dismissive attitude only adds to the hostile environment.

Question 8

Which of these events would be covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act?

Accepted Answer

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain family and medical reasons, including the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Employees may also be eligible for leave to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, or if they themselves have a serious health condition that makes them unable to perform the essential functions of their job.

B) The serious illness of a pet is not covered under FMLA. 
C) While a permanent disability may be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is not necessarily covered under FMLA. FMLA is intended for temporary leaves of absence. 
D) Needing to leave work to vote in a presidential election is not covered under FMLA.

Question 9

One of the most important outcomes of Griggs v. Duke Power is that:

Accepted Answer

Griggs v. Duke Power established the concept of "adverse impact" discrimination, which made it unlawful for employers to use any employment practice or selection criteria that is discriminatory in nature, even if it appears neutral or fair on the surface. The court ruled that Duke Power's employment tests disproportionately excluded African American applicants and were not job-related, therefore it was a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This decision set the precedent that tests or requirements for employment must be directly related to job performance and cannot have a disproportionately negative impact on a particular group of individuals.

Question 10

Amanda would like to be promoted to a managerial position. Her boss tells her that in order to receive the promotion, she must give sexual favors in exchange. This exemplifies the form of sexual harassment known as:

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes quid pro quo sexual harassment, where the victim is told that they must submit to sexual advances in order to gain a specific employment benefit, such as a promotion.

Question 11

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employees are given _____ weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave for family-related issues.

Accepted Answer

The FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave for family-related issues, such as the birth or adoption of a child, caring for a seriously ill family member, or the employee's own serious health condition.

Question 12

A recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action held that:

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruling stated that a university cannot automatically award global points to every underrepresented minority group member in its admissions process. This means that affirmative action in the admission process must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and cannot be applied automatically to certain racial or ethnic groups.

Question 13

The ADEA protects only employees who are:

Accepted Answer

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects employees who are 40 years or older from discrimination based on their age. It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee or applicant because of their age. The other options (A, C, and D) are not accurate.

Question 14

A department store uses a personality test in its selection battery for managerial jobs. This practice unintentionally results in the hiring of women rather than men. The type of case that can be brought against the store is:

Accepted Answer

The case that can be brought against the store is disparate impact. Disparate impact occurs when a seemingly neutral practice or policy has a disproportionate effect on a protected group, in this case, men. The personality test may have been designed without any intent to discriminate against men, but the results show a significant difference in hiring outcomes for men and women, which indicates a disparate impact.

Question 15

One benefit of increased use of social media to recruit applicants is that:

Accepted Answer

Social media allows organizations to reach a wider audience and therefore increases the potential pool of applicants. This can be particularly beneficial for positions that may require specialized skills or experience that may not be as readily available within traditional recruitment methods.

Question 16

Which of the following characteristics was established as a protected class in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ?

Accepted Answer

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 established national origin as a protected class, along with race, color, religion, and sex. Sexual orientation, age, and disability were not added as protected classes until later laws were passed.

Question 17

What was the ultimate purpose of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?

Accepted Answer

The ultimate purpose of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was to prevent the statute of limitations from running out when discriminatory practice is ongoing, which means that employees would be able to sue for pay discrimination regardless of when the discrimination began, provided that it was still ongoing.

Question 18

A large public library restructures its work schedules to allow disabled employees to perform their duties. The library has:

Accepted Answer

The library has made reasonable accommodations to allow disabled employees to perform their duties. This means that they have made necessary modifications or adjustments in the workplace that do not impose undue hardship on the organization.

Question 19

A railroad company posts a sign that says "Women need not apply." Because discrimination is intentional in this instance, the case that could be brought against the railroad is:

Accepted Answer

The case that could be brought against the railroad is disparate treatment, as they have intentionally discriminated against women. Disparate impact refers to unintentional discrimination, adverse impact is another term for disparate impact, and prima facie refers to a case in which the evidence on its face meets the legal requirements to prove a particular claim or charge.

Question 20

Bowser's Gym requires that an applicant for a janitorial position be female because a primary duty of the job is cleaning the female locker room while women are using it. Bowser's requirement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Bowser's requirement is a BFOQ (bona fide occupational qualification) which allows employers to make certain employment decisions based on protected characteristics (such as gender) if it is necessary for the job's performance. In this case, the job duty of cleaning the female locker room while women are using it is a valid reason for the requirement of a female janitor.

Quiz 7: Selection Decisions and Personnel Law

A recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action held that:

What is one potential problem with the current implementation of the FMLA?

Recent research has demonstrated that individuals who benefit from affirmative action are:

Which of these is the BEST example of a BFOQ?

Mary is 55 years old, Jeff is 21 years old, and Jorge is 45 years old. All three work at a computer software firm and all were fired, replaced by three new 20-year-old employees. Which employees are covered under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?

Theresa works in a manufacturing plant where many of the male employees put up photographs of bikini-clad women in their work areas, and she is often groped by male employees. Her supervisor ignores her complaints, telling her to "take it as a compliment." This type of sexual harassment is known as:

Which of these events would be covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act?

One of the most important outcomes of Griggs v. Duke Power is that:

Amanda would like to be promoted to a managerial position. Her boss tells her that in order to receive the promotion, she must give sexual favors in exchange. This exemplifies the form of sexual harassment known as:

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) , employees are given _____ weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave for family-related issues.

A recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action held that:

The ADEA protects only employees who are:

A department store uses a personality test in its selection battery for managerial jobs. This practice unintentionally results in the hiring of women rather than men. The type of case that can be brought against the store is:

One benefit of increased use of social media to recruit applicants is that:

Which of the following characteristics was established as a protected class in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ?

What was the ultimate purpose of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?

A large public library restructures its work schedules to allow disabled employees to perform their duties. The library has:

A railroad company posts a sign that says "Women need not apply." Because discrimination is intentional in this instance, the case that could be brought against the railroad is:

Bowser's Gym requires that an applicant for a janitorial position be female because a primary duty of the job is cleaning the female locker room while women are using it. Bowser's requirement is an example of: