aPHR Trivia 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which performance appraisal method gathers feedback about an employee from supervisors, peers, subordinates, and sometimes customers?
- Management by objectives (MBO)
- 360-degree feedback (Correct answer)
- Ranking method
- Critical incident method
Correct answer: 360-degree feedback
360-degree feedback collects performance input from multiple sources surrounding the employee, providing a comprehensive view of their behavior and impact.
Question 2: What does 'COBRA' stand for in the context of U.S. employee benefits law?
- Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (Correct answer)
- Corporate Obligatory Benefits Rights Act
- Comprehensive Open Benefits and Retirement Act
- Collective Occupational Benefits Rights Agreement
Correct answer: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) allows employees and their dependents to continue group health coverage after qualifying events like job loss.
Question 3: What is the primary function of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)?
- Enforcing wage and hour laws for federal contractors
- Overseeing union elections and investigating unfair labor practice charges (Correct answer)
- Administering unemployment insurance benefits
- Setting OSHA safety standards for manufacturing
Correct answer: Overseeing union elections and investigating unfair labor practice charges
The NLRB is an independent federal agency that conducts union elections and investigates and remedies unfair labor practices by employers and unions.
Question 4: Which HR concept refers to strategically identifying and developing internal employees to fill key leadership positions in the future?
- Career pathing
- Workforce planning
- Succession planning (Correct answer)
- Talent pooling
Correct answer: Succession planning
Succession planning proactively identifies and develops internal candidates to fill critical leadership and key roles when vacancies arise.
Question 5: Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which classes are protected from employment discrimination?
- Race, color, religion, sex, and national origin (Correct answer)
- Race, age, disability, sex, and veteran status
- Race, color, religion, age, and pregnancy
- Race, color, sex, marital status, and national origin
Correct answer: Race, color, religion, sex, and national origin
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin; age and disability protections are addressed by separate laws.
Question 6: What is 'compa-ratio' used to measure in compensation management?
- The ratio of exempt to non-exempt employees in a department
- An employee's actual pay relative to the midpoint of their pay range (Correct answer)
- The percentage of payroll spent on benefits
- The gap between the highest and lowest paid employees
Correct answer: An employee's actual pay relative to the midpoint of their pay range
Compa-ratio is calculated by dividing an employee's actual salary by the midpoint of their pay grade, indicating where they fall within their pay range.
Question 7: Which type of harassment occurs when submission to unwelcome sexual conduct is made a condition of employment or used as the basis for employment decisions?
- Hostile work environment harassment
- Quid pro quo harassment (Correct answer)
- Third-party harassment
- Constructive dismissal
Correct answer: Quid pro quo harassment
Quid pro quo harassment (Latin for 'this for that') occurs when a supervisor ties job benefits or penalties to an employee's acceptance or rejection of sexual advances.
Which performance appraisal method gathers feedback about an employee from supervisors, peers, subordinates, and sometimes customers?