Human Resources Employee Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'at-will employment' exception based on 'implied contract'?
- When a written employment contract exists
- When employer statements in handbooks or verbal promises create a reasonable expectation of continued employment (Correct answer)
- When an employee is a union member
- When an employee has worked over 5 years
Correct answer: When employer statements in handbooks or verbal promises create a reasonable expectation of continued employment
Courts may find an implied contract exception when employer language in handbooks, policies, or verbal promises suggests job security.
Question 2: What is 'retaliation' in the employment context?
- An employee refusing to follow instructions
- Adverse employer action against an employee for engaging in protected activity such as filing an EEOC complaint (Correct answer)
- A negative performance review
- Denial of a promotion based on seniority
Correct answer: Adverse employer action against an employee for engaging in protected activity such as filing an EEOC complaint
Employment retaliation occurs when an employer takes adverse action against an employee for participating in legally protected activities.
Question 3: Which approach to conflict resolution involves a neutral third party helping parties reach their own agreement?
- Arbitration
- Mediation (Correct answer)
- Litigation
- Negotiation
Correct answer: Mediation
Mediation uses a neutral facilitator to help disputing parties communicate and voluntarily reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
Question 4: What is 'duty of good faith and fair dealing' as an exception to at-will employment?
- Requirement to provide severance pay
- Prohibition against terminating employees for bad-faith or malicious reasons (Correct answer)
- Requirement to offer written warnings before termination
- Mandate to provide two weeks' notice
Correct answer: Prohibition against terminating employees for bad-faith or malicious reasons
The implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing prevents employers from terminating employees in bad faith or with malicious intent.
Question 5: What does 'organizational culture' refer to in HR?
- The physical office environment
- The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and norms that shape how work gets done in an organization (Correct answer)
- The company's financial performance
- The employee benefits package
Correct answer: The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and norms that shape how work gets done in an organization
Organizational culture encompasses the shared assumptions, values, and practices that define how people behave within an organization.
Question 6: What is an 'open-door policy' in employee relations?
- A flexible work-from-home arrangement
- A management practice encouraging employees to raise concerns directly with management at any level (Correct answer)
- A physical policy about office door access
- An external hiring-first approach
Correct answer: A management practice encouraging employees to raise concerns directly with management at any level
An open-door policy encourages direct communication between employees and management to resolve concerns informally and quickly.
Human Resources Employee Relations 2
What is 'at-will employment' exception based on 'implied contract'?