aPHR Trivia 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What federal law governs the administration of most private-sector employee benefit plans, including pension and health plans?
- COBRA
- HIPAA
- ERISA (Correct answer)
- FMLA
Correct answer: ERISA
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established retirement and health benefit plans in private industry.
Question 2: Which recruitment sourcing strategy involves employees recommending qualified candidates from their personal networks?
- Job posting on external boards
- Campus recruiting
- Employee referral program (Correct answer)
- Headhunting
Correct answer: Employee referral program
Employee referral programs incentivize current employees to recommend qualified candidates from their networks, often yielding faster and better-fit hires.
Question 3: What is the 'glass ceiling' as used in HR and workforce discussions?
- A legal cap on executive compensation
- An invisible barrier preventing minorities and women from advancing to senior positions (Correct answer)
- A maximum salary grade within a pay band
- A workplace transparency policy
Correct answer: An invisible barrier preventing minorities and women from advancing to senior positions
The glass ceiling refers to the invisible systemic barriers that prevent women and minority groups from rising to upper-level positions in organizations.
Question 4: Which type of training method places new employees alongside experienced workers to learn job tasks in the actual work environment?
- Classroom instruction
- E-learning
- On-the-job training (OJT) (Correct answer)
- Simulation training
Correct answer: On-the-job training (OJT)
On-the-job training (OJT) teaches employees skills and knowledge in the actual work setting under the guidance of experienced coworkers or supervisors.
Question 5: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what must an employer provide to a qualified individual with a disability unless it causes 'undue hardship'?
- Premium health insurance coverage
- Reasonable accommodation (Correct answer)
- A modified performance standard
- A dedicated workstation
Correct answer: Reasonable accommodation
The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations that enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions, absent undue hardship.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a 'stay interview' in HR?
- To evaluate a departing employee's reasons for leaving
- To assess candidates during the final stage of hiring
- To understand what keeps current employees engaged and what might cause them to leave (Correct answer)
- To document a performance improvement plan
Correct answer: To understand what keeps current employees engaged and what might cause them to leave
Stay interviews are proactive conversations with current employees to identify what motivates them to stay and what risks might lead them to resign.
Question 7: Which legal concept holds that employers may be liable for harassment by supervisors even if they were unaware it occurred?
- Respondeat superior / vicarious liability (Correct answer)
- Negligent hiring
- Constructive discharge
- Disparate treatment
Correct answer: Respondeat superior / vicarious liability
Under the doctrine of respondeat superior (vicarious liability), employers can be held liable for supervisory harassment regardless of their knowledge, unless they can show an affirmative defense.
aPHR Trivia 4
What federal law governs the administration of most private-sector employee benefit plans, including pension and health plans?