New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage states: 'All requests for overtime must be submitted in writing no later than 48 hours before the scheduled overtime shift. Verbal requests will not be accepted.' An employee verbally notifies their supervisor of overtime the morning of the shift. What is the correct conclusion?
- The request is valid if the supervisor approves it verbally.
- The request does not comply with the policy. (Correct answer)
- The 48-hour rule applies only to new employees.
- Verbal requests are acceptable in emergency situations.
Correct answer: The request does not comply with the policy.
The passage explicitly states verbal requests will not be accepted, so the employee's request does not comply.
Question 2: A regulation reads: 'Employees are prohibited from accepting gifts valued over $25 from vendors. Gifts valued at $25 or less must be reported to the ethics office within 10 business days.' An employee receives a $20 gift and reports it after 15 business days. Which statement is most accurate?
- The employee violated the gift prohibition.
- The employee reported within the required timeframe.
- The employee violated the reporting deadline but not the gift prohibition. (Correct answer)
- The employee was not required to report a gift under $25.
Correct answer: The employee violated the reporting deadline but not the gift prohibition.
The $20 gift is within the allowable limit, but reporting after 15 days exceeds the 10-business-day deadline.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'The primary purpose of performance evaluations is to identify employee strengths, areas for improvement, and training needs. They are not disciplinary tools.' Based solely on this passage, which use of evaluations is NOT supported?
- Identifying training needs
- Recognizing employee strengths
- Issuing formal disciplinary warnings (Correct answer)
- Noting areas for improvement
Correct answer: Issuing formal disciplinary warnings
The passage explicitly states evaluations are not disciplinary tools, so using them to issue warnings is unsupported.
Question 4: A memo states: 'Department heads must approve all purchases over $500. Purchases between $100 and $500 require supervisor approval. Purchases under $100 may be made without prior approval.' A $450 purchase is made with only department head approval. Is this compliant?
- Yes, department head approval covers all purchases.
- No, purchases in that range require only supervisor approval. (Correct answer)
- Yes, higher authority approval is always acceptable.
- No, a purchase of that amount requires no approval at all.
Correct answer: No, purchases in that range require only supervisor approval.
The policy specifies supervisor approval for the $100–$500 range; the department head's approval, while higher, is not what the policy prescribes.
Question 5: A passage reads: 'When interpreting ambiguous policy language, employees should first consult their immediate supervisor. If the question remains unresolved, it should be escalated to the human resources department, and only as a last resort to the legal office.' An employee skips HR and goes directly to the legal office. What does the passage suggest about this action?
- It is acceptable if the supervisor was unavailable.
- It follows the correct escalation order.
- It bypasses the required intermediate step. (Correct answer)
- It is the recommended approach for complex issues.
Correct answer: It bypasses the required intermediate step.
The passage requires escalation through HR before involving the legal office, so skipping HR bypasses a required step.
Question 6: A notice reads: 'Sick leave may be used for the employee's own illness, a dependent's illness, or preventive medical care. It may not be used for personal errands or vacation.' An employee uses sick leave to accompany a child to a routine checkup. Based on the passage, this is:
- A violation, because the employee is not personally ill.
- Permissible, because preventive care for a dependent is covered. (Correct answer)
- A violation, because only the employee's own preventive care is covered.
- Permissible only if the supervisor grants an exception.
Correct answer: Permissible, because preventive care for a dependent is covered.
The passage allows sick leave for a dependent's illness and preventive care, which reasonably covers a child's routine checkup.
Question 7: A report concludes: 'While the program reduced costs by 12%, participant satisfaction dropped by 18% and turnover increased by 9%.' A manager summarizes: 'The program was a success because it cut costs.' Based on the passage, this summary is:
- Accurate, because cost reduction is always the primary goal.
- Incomplete, because it ignores the negative outcomes described. (Correct answer)
- Accurate, because a 12% reduction outweighs other factors.
- Incomplete only if turnover is mentioned in the goals.
Correct answer: Incomplete, because it ignores the negative outcomes described.
The passage presents both positive and negative outcomes; the manager's summary omits the drops in satisfaction and rises in turnover.
New Jersey Civil Service Exam Reading Comprehension Analysis 2
A passage states: 'All requests for overtime must be submitted in writing no later than 48 hours before the scheduled overtime shift.
Verbal requests will not be accepted.' An employee verbally notifies their supervisor of overtime the morning of the shift.
What is the correct conclusion?