Human Resources Management Flashcards

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which of the following employees is properly classified as exempt from overtime requirements?

Answer: A legal administrator earning $65,000 who manages a department and directs two or more employees

To qualify for the executive exemption under FLSA, an employee must be paid at least $684/week on a salary basis, primarily manage the enterprise or a department, and customarily direct the work of two or more employees.

A law firm's HR manager is developing a compensation structure. Which approach best supports internal equity?

Answer: Conducting a job evaluation to rank positions by relative worth before setting pay ranges

Internal equity is achieved through systematic job evaluation, which ranks positions by factors like skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions before establishing pay ranges.

Which federal law requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for qualifying family and medical reasons?

Answer: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires covered employers with 50+ employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons including serious health conditions and family care.

When conducting a performance appraisal, a supervisor rates all employees as 'average' regardless of actual performance. This rating error is known as:

Answer: Central tendency error

Central tendency error occurs when a rater avoids extreme ratings and clusters all evaluations in the middle of the scale, failing to differentiate between high and low performers.

A legal administrator suspects that an employee's termination was pretextual. In an employment discrimination lawsuit, what does the plaintiff need to demonstrate to establish a prima facie case under McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green?

Answer: That the employee belongs to a protected class, was qualified, suffered adverse action, and was replaced by someone outside the protected class

Under the McDonnell Douglas framework, a plaintiff establishes a prima facie discrimination case by showing membership in a protected class, qualification for the position, an adverse employment action, and that someone outside the protected class was treated more favorably.

Which of the following is a key component of an effective onboarding program for new legal staff?

Answer: Providing role-specific training, introducing firm culture, and clarifying performance expectations early

Effective onboarding integrates new employees by combining role-specific skill training, cultural socialization, and clear communication of performance expectations, which improves retention and productivity.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which employer practice constitutes quid pro quo sexual harassment?

Answer: A manager conditioning a promotion on an employee's submission to sexual advances

Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a supervisor makes employment decisions—such as promotions, raises, or continued employment—contingent on an employee's acceptance or rejection of unwelcome sexual conduct.