HRCI PHR Exam Practice Test Instant Access

Question 1

Which of the following is a process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing or changing business needs?

AInvoluntary exit

BPlant closing

CVoluntarily exit

DOutplacement

Answer : A

An involuntary exit is a process that occurs due to mergers, outsourcing or changing business needs. It also occurs due to terminations for cause, such as performance problems, etc.

Answer option B is incorrect. Plant closing is act of shutting down operation of a plant.

Answer option C is incorrect. In the voluntarily exit, employees leave the organization by either resigning or retiring.

Answer option A is incorrect. Outplacement is a term used to describe efforts made by a downsizing company to help former employees through the transition to new jobs and help them re-orientate to the job market.

Question 2

Which of the following is a communication that damages an individual's reputation in the community, preventing them from obtaining employment?

AGainsharing

BConstructive discharge

CDuty of loyalty

DDefamation

Answer : D

Defamation is a communication that damages an individual's reputation in the community, preventing him from obtaining employment or other benefts. Answer option B is incorrect. Constructive discharge occurs when an employer makes the workplace so hostile and inhospitable that an employee resigns. Answer option C is incorrect. The duty of loyalty requires that employees act in the best interest of the employer and not solicit work away from the employer to beneft themselves. Answer option A is incorrect. Gainsharing is a system of management used by a business to get higher levels of performance through the involvement and participation of its people. As performance improves, employees share financially in the gain (improvement). Gainsharing is about people working smarter together and not just working harder.

Question 3

As a HR Professional you must understand the laws and regulations, which affect employee compensation. If a non-exempt employee works more than 40 hours per week, what is their overtime pay rate?

A150 percent of their base pay

BIt depends on the state where the employee is employed

CNon-exempt employees do not receive overtime pay

D50 percent of their base pay

Answer : A

Overtime pay is 150 percent of the employee's base hourly pay. It is commonly called time and a half.

Answer option B is incorrect. Overtime pay is a federally-mandated law, not a state law.

Answer option C is incorrect. Non-exempt employees do receive overtime pay. Exempt employees do not.

Answer option D is incorrect. Overtime pay is 150 percent, not just 50 percent of the base pay.

Question 4

As a HR Professional you must be familiar with several different lawsuits and their affect on human resource practices today. This adverse impact lawsuit determined that discrimination need not be deliberate or observable to be real. Employees were segregated by race and were allowed to work only in the lowest paid position. What lawsuit is described?

AGriggs versus Duke Power, 1971

BAlbemarle Paper versus Moody, 1975

CWashington versus Davis, 1976

DMcDonnell Douglas Corp. versus Green, 1973

Answer : A

The Griggs versus Duke Power lawsuit was heard in the US Supreme Court. This case, which preceded the Civil Rights Act of 1964, centered on a policy, Duke Power Company had of segregating employees by race.

Answer option D is incorrect. McDonnell Douglas Corp. versus Green, 1973 centered on a race discrimination case regarding the burdens and nature of proof in proving a Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Answer option B is incorrect. Albemarle Paper versus Moody, 1975 dealt with racial discrimination and the responsibilities of organizations, to offer back pay to individuals that were racially discriminated. The racial discrimination may have prevented certain employees from advancing in the organization.

Answer option C is incorrect. Washington versus Davis, 1976 is a racial discrimination lawsuit, brought by two African Americans that were denied positions in the Washington DC police department.

Question 5

The JHG Company has used discriminatory hiring practices in the past but they adjusted their practices and are following federal laws now to ensure that fair hiring practices are met. However, the JHG Company has an employee referral program as a primary source to recruit new employees. What danger may the JHG Company be exposed to in this scenario?

APerpetuating past unintentional practices

BPerpetuating past discrimination practices

CSuccumbing to an adverse impact

DNot finding qualified racially diverse candidates

Answer : B

This is an example of how past discriminatory practices can perpetuate themselves in the organization, by using the current pool of employees to bring new applicants. Past discriminatory practices that created the current pool of employees can cause the current pool to refer similar candidates to the company.

Answer option D is incorrect. While this choice is tempting the question doesn't reveal what the discriminatory practices were in the past. The discriminatory practices could have been race, sex, religion, or a host of other discrimination.

Answer option A is incorrect. The question doesn't reveal if the past practices were intentional or not, and the current situation could and could not be unintentional. The best answer, however, is that this scenario perpetuates past discrimination practices.

Answer option C is incorrect. An adverse impact is the overall effect of a disparate action. While this answer is tempting, it's not the best choice for the question.

Question 6

You are the HR Professional within your organization, and you're working with the management to address the organizational culture. You explain to the management the four dimensions of organizational culture - as addressed by Deal and Kennedy. Which one of the following is not one of the four dimensions of organizational culture?

AHeroes

BJoy

CValues

DRites and Rituals

Answer : B

Joy is not one of the four dimensions of organizational culture, as defined by Deal and Kennedy. The four dimensions are values, heroes, rites and rituals, and the culture network.

Answer option C is incorrect. Values is one of the four dimensions of organizational culture, as defined by Deal and Kennedy.

Answer option A is incorrect. Heroes is one of the four dimensions of organizational culture, as defined by Deal and Kennedy.

Answer option D is incorrect. Rites and rituals is one of the four dimensions of organizational culture, as defined by Deal and Kennedy.

Question 7

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?

ARandy must earn all income from commission.

BRandy must not have a contract to complete sales.

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

DRandy must earn more than $48,234 per year.

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.

HRCI PHR - Professional in Human Resources PHR Exam Practice Test