NYC Problem Sensitivity and Judgment 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A city employee working remotely discovers that their agency-issued laptop has been infected with malware. The most appropriate immediate action is to:
- Run a personal antivirus scan and delete suspicious files independently
- Disconnect the laptop from the internet and report the incident to IT security immediately (Correct answer)
- Continue working and report it at the end of the week
- Wipe and reinstall the operating system without notifying IT
Correct answer: Disconnect the laptop from the internet and report the incident to IT security immediately
Isolating the device and immediately reporting to IT security prevents further spread or data exfiltration while allowing proper forensic response.
Question 2: An NYC employee witnesses a supervisor making a decision that the employee believes violates agency policy. The most appropriate first step is to:
- Comply with the supervisor's decision and document personal objection privately
- Immediately report the supervisor to the press
- Politely raise the concern with the supervisor, citing the specific policy, and escalate if unresolved (Correct answer)
- Refuse to carry out any task related to the decision without prior discussion
Correct answer: Politely raise the concern with the supervisor, citing the specific policy, and escalate if unresolved
Raising the policy concern directly with the supervisor first gives them a chance to correct or explain, and provides a clear escalation path if the problem persists.
Question 3: A public works crew arrives at a job site and finds conditions significantly different from what was described in the work order — specifically, the area is partially flooded. The crew leader should:
- Begin the work carefully despite the changed conditions
- Stop work, document the conditions, and contact the supervisor for revised instructions before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Complete the portions of the job unaffected by flooding and leave
- Return to the depot and wait for conditions to improve without notifying anyone
Correct answer: Stop work, document the conditions, and contact the supervisor for revised instructions before proceeding
Changed site conditions may introduce safety risks not anticipated in the original work order, requiring supervisory review before work resumes.
Question 4: A city employee is assigned to verify the eligibility of applicants for a city benefit program. The employee discovers that one applicant is a personal friend who does not meet the income requirements. The employee should:
- Approve the application to help a friend in need
- Deny the application based on the eligibility criteria and, if necessary, disclose the relationship to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Refer the application to a colleague without disclosure
- Delay processing the application indefinitely to avoid making a difficult decision
Correct answer: Deny the application based on the eligibility criteria and, if necessary, disclose the relationship to a supervisor
Eligibility determinations must follow the rules regardless of personal relationships, and disclosure of the relationship maintains transparency and accountability.
Question 5: A parks maintenance worker notices a section of a children's playground has a broken piece of equipment with a sharp, exposed edge. The worker does not have the replacement part available. The best action is to:
- Mark the hazard on a maintenance log for the next scheduled repair
- Immediately close off the broken equipment with barrier tape and report it for urgent repair (Correct answer)
- Leave the equipment in service since children should be supervised by adults
- Post a warning sign on the equipment and allow its continued use
Correct answer: Immediately close off the broken equipment with barrier tape and report it for urgent repair
A sharp exposed edge on children's equipment is an immediate injury risk that must be physically barricaded and reported for urgent repair, not just documented.
Question 6: An NYC employee receives a call from someone claiming to be from another city agency requesting sensitive internal data over the phone without prior authorization. The employee should:
- Provide the data since the caller claims to be a city employee
- Decline to share the data and ask the requester to submit a formal, authorized written request through official channels (Correct answer)
- Ask the caller for their phone number and call them back immediately
- Transfer the call to a supervisor without explaining why
Correct answer: Decline to share the data and ask the requester to submit a formal, authorized written request through official channels
Unverified phone requests for sensitive data must be declined and redirected to formal authorization channels to prevent social engineering and unauthorized disclosure.
Question 7: A city employee notices that a frequently used emergency exit in their office building is blocked by boxes that a colleague stored there 'temporarily.' The employee should:
- Move the boxes themselves if possible and notify a supervisor about the violation (Correct answer)
- Leave the boxes since it is a temporary situation
- Email the colleague to ask them to move the boxes when convenient
- Report the blockage anonymously to avoid conflict
Correct answer: Move the boxes themselves if possible and notify a supervisor about the violation
Blocked emergency exits are immediate safety violations; removing the obstruction if safely possible and notifying a supervisor ensures the hazard is resolved and documented.
NYC Problem Sensitivity and Judgment 5
A city employee working remotely discovers that their agency-issued laptop has been infected with malware.
The most appropriate immediate action is to: