Frontline National Test Judgment and Use of Authority 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A coworker asks you to cover up a minor rule violation they committed because it was an honest mistake. What is the best course of action?
- Agree to cover it up since no one was harmed
- Report it to your supervisor because covering it up is itself a violation (Correct answer)
- Ignore the situation entirely and let your coworker handle it
- Confront the coworker publicly to discourage future violations
Correct answer: Report it to your supervisor because covering it up is itself a violation
Covering up a violation makes you complicit and violates your own duty of honesty; reporting to a supervisor is the proper course.
Question 2: You witness a supervisor give an instruction that clearly contradicts an established agency policy. You should:
- Follow the supervisor's instruction without question because they outrank you
- Refuse the instruction immediately and walk off the job
- Politely point out the conflict with policy and ask for clarification or written authorization (Correct answer)
- Report the supervisor to law enforcement right away
Correct answer: Politely point out the conflict with policy and ask for clarification or written authorization
Raising the policy conflict respectfully and seeking clarification protects you and gives the supervisor a chance to correct or authorize the deviation.
Question 3: A citizen becomes verbally aggressive while you are explaining a decision you made. The most appropriate response is to:
- Match their tone to show you will not be intimidated
- Calmly restate the decision and explain the appeal process if one exists (Correct answer)
- Immediately end the interaction without explanation
- Threaten to call security if they say one more word
Correct answer: Calmly restate the decision and explain the appeal process if one exists
Remaining calm, repeating the decision, and informing the citizen of appeal options upholds professionalism and due process.
Question 4: You are authorized to take a certain action but believe doing so in this particular case would be unfair. You should:
- Take the action because authorization requires it regardless of fairness
- Skip the action and document nothing
- Consult your supervisor or agency guidelines before deciding (Correct answer)
- Make an exception based solely on personal feelings
Correct answer: Consult your supervisor or agency guidelines before deciding
When you have discretion but are uncertain about fairness, consulting your supervisor or guidelines ensures consistent and defensible decisions.
Question 5: A new employee asks you to sign off on their work even though you have not verified it. You should:
- Sign off as a favor since they are still learning
- Refuse to sign until you have actually reviewed and verified the work (Correct answer)
- Ask a different senior employee to sign so you are not responsible
- Sign off with a note disclaiming responsibility
Correct answer: Refuse to sign until you have actually reviewed and verified the work
Signing off on unverified work misrepresents your oversight authority and could result in errors going uncorrected.
Question 6: During an emergency situation your supervisor is unreachable. You must act immediately. You should:
- Wait until the supervisor is available no matter how long it takes
- Take the minimum necessary action to protect safety, then document and report as soon as possible (Correct answer)
- Take whatever action you think is best without any documentation
- Transfer all responsibility to a coworker and step away
Correct answer: Take the minimum necessary action to protect safety, then document and report as soon as possible
In true emergencies, taking the minimum necessary protective action is appropriate, but prompt documentation and reporting are required.
Question 7: A citizen requests to see a public record. You are unsure whether it is legally releasable. You should:
- Release it immediately to avoid appearing uncooperative
- Deny the request without explanation
- Tell the citizen you will check with the appropriate authority and respond within the required timeframe (Correct answer)
- Ask the citizen why they want the record before deciding
Correct answer: Tell the citizen you will check with the appropriate authority and respond within the required timeframe
Checking with legal or supervisory authority before releasing uncertain records protects both the agency and the citizen's rights.
Frontline National Test Judgment and Use of Authority 2
A coworker asks you to cover up a minor rule violation they committed because it was an honest mistake.
What is the best course of action?