SPHR Practice Questions

Answer option D is correct.

The Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Service, Inc. is the Supreme Court case that found that sexual

harassment under Title VII was written to protect women, should be applicable to both sexes.

Answer options B, A, and C are incorrect. These aren't valid answers for the case. It was a lawsuit that

centered on a man being sexually harassed by other men in the workforce.

Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-470-43096-5.

Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification

Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations

Objective: Federal Employment Legislation

Answer option D is correct.

The confirm interest stage, the second of five phases to unionization, typically requires 30 percent of

the employees to sign an authorization card. Some unions may seek 50 percent of authorization

cards, in some instances.

Answer option C is incorrect. Make a connection is the first stage of the unionization process. This

stage is to establish a connection, to determine if there is any interest in the forming or joining of a

union.

Answer option A is incorrect. The obtain recognition stage, the third stage of the unionization

process, is to gain recognition from the employer. This stage causes the employer to give the NLRB a

list of names and addresses of employees who are eligible to vote in the union certification election.

Answer option B is incorrect. The campaign stage of the unionization process if the fourth step in

preparation for the final stage, the election to determine unionization of the employees.

Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Seven: Employee

and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-

1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations

Objective: Union Organization

Answer option C is correct.

The EEO-4 Report, also known as the State and Local Government Report, is collected by local and

state governments in all odd-numbered years.

Answer option A is incorrect. The EEO-1 Report, also known as the Employer Information Report,

must be filed by September 30 of each year for employers with 100 or more employees. It's also a

requirement for federal contractors with 50 or more employees and federal contracts worth $50,000

or more.

Answer option B is incorrect. The EEO-3 Report is filed every other year in the even calendar years.

Answer option D is incorrect. The EEO-5 Report is conducted biennially in the even number years for

public and secondary schools.

Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-470-

43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR

Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment

Objective: Federal Employment Legislation

Answer option C is correct.

Placement goals should not set quotas, but should operate through good-faith attempts. The

placement goal is, however, set at an annual percentage rate equal to the availability figure for

women or minorities.

Answer option D is incorrect. This is not the best choice for the answer.

Answer option A is incorrect. Discrimination is never a valid choice for selecting candidates or

employees.

Answer option B is incorrect. Outsourcing is not a valid answer to address placement goals.

Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Study Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-470-

43096-5. Chapter Four: Workforce Planning. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR

Certification Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment

Objective: Federal Employment Legislation

Answer option C is correct.

Under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, organizations must treat employees that are

temporarily unable to complete their jobs due to pregnancy, the same way the organization would

treat any other temporarily disabled employee.

Answer option D is incorrect. Thomas can't terminate Carrie's employment because of pregnancy.

Answer option A is incorrect. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act actually applies to organizations with

15 or more employees.

Answer option B is incorrect. There is no 28-day time limit to the requirements of the Pregnancy

Discrimination Act.

Reference: PHR Exam Prep, Pearson Education, ISBN: 978-0-7897-3677-2. Chapter Four: Workforce

Planning and Employment. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification Institute,

ISBN: 978-1-586-44149, Section III, The US HR Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Workforce Planning and Employment

Objective: Federal Employment Legislation

Answer option A is correct.

The concept of human relations was first introduced in the 1920s and challenged previous

assumptions that people work only for economic reasons and could be motivated to increase

productivity simply by increasing monetary incentives. Human resource management (C) is the

business function responsible for activities related to attracting and retaining employees, including

workforce planning, training and development, compensation, employee and labor relations, and

safety and security. Strategic management (B) is the process by which organizations look for

competitive advantages, create value for customers, and execute plans to achieve goals. Human

resource development (D) is the functional area of human resources focused on upgrading and

maintaining employee skills and developing employees for additional responsibilities. See Chapters 2

and 5 for more information.

Chapter: Core Knowledge Requirements for HR Professionals

Objective: Human Relations Concepts

Answer option A is correct.

The open-door policy invites employees to share their concerns, questions, and interact with

decision makers.

Answer option D is incorrect. Department staff meetings are good, but that's not the description in

this instance.

Answer option B is incorrect. Management by walking around was publicized by Tom Peters in his

book, In Search of Excellence. It provides management interaction and support of employee's goals.

Answer option C is incorrect. Brown-bag lunches are informal lunch meetings usually to learn about

a topic, to hear from senior management, or to learn about a new company goal.

Reference: Professional in Human Resources Certification Guide, Sybex, ISBN: 978-0-470-43096-5.

Chapter 7: Employee and Labor Relations. Official PHR and SPHR Certification Guide, HR Certification

Institute, ISBN: 978-1-586-44149-4, Section III, The US Body of Knowledge.

Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations

Objective: Employee Relations

Answer option B is correct.

Organizational pickets may take place when no other union is currently representing employees at a

company. See Chapter 7 for more information.

Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations

Objective: Union Organization

Answer option C is correct.

An on-site cafeteria is an example of a non-monetary reward.

Answer option A is incorrect. Esteem from working with other talented people is an extrinsic reward.

Answer option D is incorrect. An intrinsic reward is an outcome that gives satisfaction to an individual

from challenging and exciting assignments. An intrinsic reward encourages employee's self esteem.

Answer option B is incorrect. Cash compensation is a monetary reward for employment.

Reference: "http://www.catalogs.com/info/b2b/non-monetary-rewards-in-the-workplace.html"

Chapter: Compensation and Benefits

Objective: Total Rewards Defined

Answer option D is correct.

A sit-down strike occurs when employees stop working and stay in the building. This is considered as

an unlawful strike.

Answer option A is incorrect. A strike occurs when the union decides to stop working.

Answer option B is incorrect. A lockout occurs when management shuts down operations to keep the

union from working.

Answer option C is incorrect. A wildcat strike occurs in violation of a contract clause prohibiting

strikes during the term of the contract.

Chapter: Employee and Labor Relations

Objective: Union Organization