CMAA Human Resources and Personnel Administration — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a new employee is hired, which form must be completed to verify their legal authorization to work in the United States?
- W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement)
- I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) (Correct answer)
- 1099-MISC (Miscellaneous Income)
- SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number)
Correct answer: I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification)
The I-9 form, issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), must be completed by every new employee within three days of hire to verify identity and work authorization. The W-2 is a year-end tax document, the 1099 is for independent contractors, and the SS-4 is for obtaining an EIN.
Question 2: A newly hired medical administrative assistant wants to adjust how much federal income tax is withheld from each paycheck. Which form should they submit to their employer?
- I-9
- W-2
- W-4 (Correct answer)
- 1099
Correct answer: W-4
The W-4 (Employee's Withholding Certificate) tells the employer how much federal income tax to withhold based on the employee's filing status and adjustments. It can be updated at any time. The W-2 is the year-end earnings summary sent to the employee, not a form the employee submits.
Question 3: Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), how many weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year are eligible employees entitled to?
- 4 weeks
- 6 weeks
- 12 weeks (Correct answer)
- 24 weeks
Correct answer: 12 weeks
FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year to eligible employees (those who have worked at least 12 months and 1,250 hours for a covered employer) for qualifying reasons such as serious health conditions, childbirth, or family caregiving.
Question 4: An employee at a medical practice claims they were passed over for a promotion because of their religion. Which federal law governs this type of workplace discrimination complaint?
- OSHA Act (Occupational Safety and Health Act)
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Correct answer)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Correct answer: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Religious discrimination in promotion decisions falls squarely under Title VII, enforced by the EEOC. The ADA covers disability discrimination, and OSHA governs workplace safety.
Question 5: When maintaining personnel files, which of the following is required by the ADA and FMLA to protect employee privacy?
- Store all employee records — including medical information — together in a single file for easy access
- Allow any staff member to access personnel files on request
- Keep medical and disability-related records in a separate, confidential file apart from general employment records (Correct answer)
- Destroy all employee records immediately upon termination
Correct answer: Keep medical and disability-related records in a separate, confidential file apart from general employment records
The ADA and FMLA require that employee medical and disability-related information be kept in a separate, locked file, distinct from general employment records (performance reviews, tax forms, etc.). Commingling these records violates federal confidentiality requirements.
Question 6: A medical office employee is scheduled for an 8-hour shift but is sent home after 90 minutes because the practice is unexpectedly slow. Under many state 'reporting time pay' laws, the employee is typically entitled to:
- No pay, because they did not complete their scheduled shift
- Pay only for the 90 minutes actually worked, nothing more
- A minimum number of hours of pay as defined by state law, regardless of actual hours worked (Correct answer)
- Double their hourly rate as compensation for the inconvenience
Correct answer: A minimum number of hours of pay as defined by state law, regardless of actual hours worked
Many states have 'reporting time pay' (also called 'show-up pay') laws that require employers to pay employees a guaranteed minimum — often two to four hours — when an employee reports as scheduled but is dismissed early through no fault of their own. Requirements vary by state, so the administrative assistant must know applicable state wage laws.
CMAA Human Resources and Personnel Administration
When a new employee is hired, which form must be completed to verify their legal authorization to work in the United States?