HRCI HRCI Certifications PHR Questions & Answers

• Question 31:

  A union is performing a jurisdictional strike in front of a construction site. What is a jurisdictional strike?

  A. It is a strike through which the union seeks to pressurize an employer to assign a particular work to its members; rather than to members of other unions or to the non-union workers.

  B. It is a strike through which the union seeks to pressurize an employer to agree to the terms ofa new contract although there is already an approved contract in place.

  C. It is a strike through which the union seeks to pressurize an employer to agree to the terms of a new contract because the current contract between the employer and the union has expired.

  D. It is a strike through which the union seeks to pressurize an employer to assign all work to its members, rather than to members of non-union workers.

  Correct Answer: A

  A jurisdictional strike is an effort by the union to get the employer to assign specific work to the union rather than to other unions or even non-union workers. Answer option B is incorrect. This isn't a valid definition of a jurisdictional strike. Answer option C is incorrect. This isn't a valid definition of a jurisdictional strike. Answer option D is incorrect. This answer is close, but not the best choice. Note that the answer requests all work, not just particular work.

• Question 32:

  The Federal Labor Standards Act is something that all HR Professionals should be familiar with. This act clearly defines four areas that affect all employees. Which one of the following is not one of the four areas of employment covered by this act?

  A. Commissions, royalties, and tips

  B. Overtime

  C. Record keeping

  D. Minimum wage

  Correct Answer: A

  The Federal Labor Standards Act does not address commissions, royalties, and tips. The four things the act does address are minimum wage, record keeping, overtime, and child labor. Answer options D, C, and B are incorrect. Minimum wage, record keeping, and overtime are addressed by the Federal Labor Standards Act.

• Question 33:

  Pauline is a HR Professional for her organization and she's meeting with the sales manager Jim. Jim wants to know if Randy, one of his sales people, is considered exempt or not because he's doing outside sales. Pauline tells Jim that there

  are just two qualifiers for Randy to be considered exempt in his role as an outside salesperson. The first is that Randy's primary duty must be making sales.

  What is the other consideration?

  A. Randy must earn all income from commission.

  B. Randy must not have a contract to complete sales.

  C. Randy must be customarily engaged away from the employer's place of business.

  D. Randy must earn more than $48,234 per year.

  Correct Answer: C

  Randy must primarily do sales outside of the employer's place of business to be considered an exempt employee.

  Answer option D is incorrect. The amount Randy earns doesn't directly affect his role as an exempt sales person.

  Answer option A is incorrect. Randy doesn't have to earn all of his income from commission. Answer option B is incorrect. Randy doesn't need a contract to do sales.

• Question 34:

  You are leading a brief presentation for your company about the ERISA program your company participates in. What is ERISA used for?

  A. It protects the interests of those who participate in employee benefit plans

  B. It protects the workers of employee compensation plans

  C. It protects private organizations that have profit sharing plans for employee compensation

  D. It allows private organizations to create investments for workers in profit-sharing plans

  Correct Answer: A

  ERISA is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act established in 1974. It protects the interests of those who participate in employee benefit plans. The plan established minimum participation and vesting standards for retirement plans. Answer options B, D, and C are incorrect. These are not good definitions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

• Question 35:

  You are the HR Professional for your organization and you're completing a turnover analysis. You're considering that over the past year your organization has employed 1,238 employees and during that same period your organization has terminated 56 employees. Based on this information what is your organization's turnover for the past year?

  A. 56

  B. Significantly lower than average

  C. 22

  D. Moderately low

  Correct Answer: C

  The turnover analysis uses the simple formula of number of terminations/the number of employees during the same time period. In this example, it's 56/1238 for roughly 22. Answer option A is incorrect. 56 is the total number of people that have been terminated. Answer option D is incorrect. Turnover isn't described in ordinal terms. Answer option B is incorrect. Turnover isn't described in ordinal terms.

• Question 36:

  You have just hired a job candidate for a position in your company. You are now required by the Immigration and Control Act of 1986, to complete an employment eligibility form to verify the new employee's eligibility to work in the United States. Within how many days must you complete this form?

  A. 3 days

  B. 30 days

  C. 7 days

  D. 10 days

  Correct Answer: A

  The HR Professional must complete the I-9 form within three days of hiring the new employee. Some parts of the form are to be completed by the employee and the remainder by the HR Professional. Answer options C, D, and B are incorrect. You must complete the I-9 form within three days.

• Question 37:

  Jane is preparing for an interview process for an open position within her company. Jane has prepared several questions for the interview. Inher questions, Jane is careful not to ask all of the following questions, except for which one?

  A. Our hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM. Can you meet this requirement of the position?

  B. Where are you from?

  C. How many children do you have?

  D. What's your date of birth?

  Correct Answer: A

  Of all the questions, only choice A is a valid question that Jane should ask. Jane must be careful, not to offer questions that could be or interpreted as discriminatory. Answer option C is incorrect. By asking how many children the candidate

  has, is an example of sex discrimination.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Jane may get national origin information in the question. Answer option D is incorrect. Asking for one's date of birth could lead to age discrimination.

• Question 38:

  Frank is an employee at the HBF Corporation, and he has recently been terminated because of poor company income. Frank visits the company's blog and saw a comment from his manager, which says, "We had to let Frank go today because he kept screwing up sales order. He's incompetent!" This is an example of which one of the following?

  A. Termination evidence

  B. Slander

  C. Libel

  D. Freedom of speech

  Correct Answer: C

  Defamation in writing is an example of a libel.

  Answer option D is incorrect. Freedom of speech does have provisions, but in this case Frank was released because of poor company income, and not for being incompetent. This is an example of a libel.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Slander is defamation through the spoken words. Answer option A is incorrect. Frank was terminated for poor company income, and not for screwing up sales orders.

• Question 39:

  As an HR Professional, you must be familiar with collective bargaining agreements and the process that rights are given, contracts, and union and management cooperation. With this in mind, what is a rights arbitration?

  A. It is a lawsuit between the collective management and the collective union.

  B. It is a formal hearing between the management and the union, to resolve grievances during the construction of a contract.

  C. It is a formal hearing between management and union members to resolve grievances during the administration of a contract.

  D. It is a not a lawsuit, but a resolution of laws and their impact on existing contracts.

  Correct Answer: C

  Rights arbitration is like a hearing, but it doesn't take place in the court of law. Rights arbitration aims to resolve grievances between union members and management, that have happened during the administration of a contract.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Note that this answer is close, but it defines rights arbitration as something that occurs during the construction of the contract, not during the actual administration of the contract.

  Answer option A is incorrect. Rights arbitration is not a lawsuit. Answer option D is incorrect. Rights arbitration is not an interpretation of laws and their affect on existing contracts.

• Question 40:

  Gary is an HR Professional for his organization that has several federal contracts of $100,000 or more. His organization, as required by VEVRAA, files what form by September 30 each year, which provides the details of the veterans employed by the federal contractor?

  A. Gary must file the EEO-VETS form

  B. Gary must file the VEVRAA ACT-1 report

  C. Gary must file the EEO-1 report

  D. Gary must file the VETS-100 form

  Correct Answer: D

  Under VEVRAA, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act, Gary must file the VETS-100 form by September 30 each year. This form reports information on the veterans employed by Gary's company. Answer options C, B, and A are incorrect. These are not correct forms for the VEVRAA requirements.