COBRA requires employers to permit departing employees to continue their health
insurance for up to 3 years at the employees’ expense.
While most expatriates experience some form of culture shock, few have difficulty
readjusting to their home culture when they return from their assignment.
Despotism is the practice of favoring relatives over other members in the workplace.
A defender strategy might lead a company to functional divisions of labor and work
specialization, which are elements of a boundaryless organization.
Inclusiveness training is a term used by firms hoping to unify employees rather than
divide them by their group membership.
A significant advantage of team-based pay-for-performance plans is that they eliminate
the social pressure to limit performance.
In the past, career development in bureaucratic organizations was initiated and driven
by the employees themselves, but now, employees take up less of a role in their
individual career development.
During the recession of 2008-2011, the rate of illegal immigrants increased
significantly.
Under HIPAA, an employee can transfer between health insurance plans without a gap
in coverage due to a pre-existing condition.
An effective company whistleblowing policy includes initial anonymity for the
whistleblower.
A job-based pay system works best where jobs don’t change often, when a great deal of
training is required to learn a job, and when employees expect to move up through the
system over time.
Employee feedback programs are designed to let employees evaluate their superiors.
Erin is setting up a skills training program. Which of the following would most likely
be involved in the program?
A) Giving employees the ability to perform a specific task or perform a specific job
B) Helping employees keep pace with changing job requirements and customer needs
C) Teaching employees to perform various jobs in other skill areas through job rotation
D) Teaching employees about cultural differences in order to create a friendlier
workplace
For a disabled employee to be protected by the ADA, the:
A) disability must be due to cultural or economic disadvantage.
B) disability must impair a major life activity.
C) employee must have been employed for at least 90 days.
D) employer must be a federal contractor.
Additional Case 12.2
Tri-State Shipping employs 45 workers. They ship commodities across the country.
Until recently, they had only legally required benefits, but business has become very
profitable and they can now offer their employees more benefits.
The average age of their employees is 50. Most employees have been there for more
than 20 years, and the company prides itself on keeping workers. The majority of the
jobs require heavy lifting or the operation of heavy equipment for loading and
unloading trucks, trains, etc. Their workers’ compensation tax has been running about
5% per year. They are in one of the lowest workers’ compensation tax rate states, but
TSS has had a lot of injuries. The lifting required and type of equipment used tends to
result in a lot of sprained backs, mashed fingers, or bruised muscles. When workers are
injured, they tend to heal quickly and return to work quickly.
Despite its reputation for keeping workers, the dock supervisor recently fired a 21-year
old employee who had been with TSS for 12 months. Even though everyone liked him,
the young man just couldn’t learn his job.
Refer to Additional Case 12.2. Tri-State Shipping’s workers’ compensation tax rate is:
A) average for U.S. companies.
B) five times the U.S. average.
C) half of the U.S. average.
D) twice the U.S. average.
An unsuccessful job applicant has filed suit against your company, alleging that a test
she was given does not measure performance required on the actual job. Her suit is
about the ________ of the test.
A) reliability
B) validity
C) accuracy
D) disparate impact
Additional Case 4.1
As the Director of HR, David is leading a management discussion to plan and
implement a diversity management program. David is concerned that management,
while tolerant, tends to stereotype minorities and this will eventually lead to difficulties
for the firm. The company’s top three markets are in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami.
All three markets are heavily Latino in make-up. The senior management team is all
male. The youngest member is 58 years of age.
Martinez, the VP of Operations, feels that people should blend together and that
focusing on differences merely creates divisions. He thinks that you should have a
common training program to create a unified “American” company culture. Patrick, VP
of Finance, doesn’t see the need for a program. He respects that people are different, but
he feels that once you get to know a Hispanic, African-American, or Asian-American,
you know how to work with any Hispanic, African-American, or Asian-American.
Moreover, Patrick doesn’t believe the company should get into affirmative action
programs. The firm tried it ten years ago, and it created many problems.
Simon, the CEO, thinks a diversity management program is important. He believes the
company is missing some important talent without such a program. Simon feels that the
company can create a competitive advantage by being in the lead on this issue and also
believes the changing workforce is going to require adjustments in the future.
Refer to Additional Case 4.1. Martinez’s approach to diversity management:
A) is most likely based on a perspective that people can control the factors that make
them diverse.
B) assumes that the company does not need to worry about diversity because
demographic trends are moving away from it.
C) expresses the belief that the key to understanding diversity is understanding each
individual’s group membership.
D) reflects the growing competition for opportunities among minority groups.
Additional Case 6.2
Terra Alta employs nearly 15,000 workers worldwide. The firm wants to reduce its
workforce through an early retirement program. The firm has hired you to organize and
implement the program.
Employees over age 58 are eligible, but managers don’t want to lose key older
employees. Program eligibility should be limited to a short period of time. Terra Alta
managers need a fairly accurate estimate of how many employees will participate in the
program.
Terra Alta expects a legal and humane program that avoids litigation issues. Employees
should have an accurate picture of their future if they decide to accept early retirement.
Refer to Additional Case 6.2. To avoid any legal problems, what would you most likely
recommend?
A) Offer minority employees larger severance packages to minimize discrimination
concerns.
B) Tell managers not to treat older workers any differently than they have in the past.
C) Implement a hiring freeze at the same time as early retirement is offered.
D) Avoid giving more than 30 days advance warning of a layoff.
Succession planning:
A) requires psychological testing.
B) uses assessment centers to identify key employees.
C) is critical for small companies.
D) identifies future lower-level management needs.
A firm that wants a gainsharing program that is easy to administer and communicate,
and based on an agreed-on level of output should most likely use a(n) ________ plan.
A) Improshare
B) Rucker
C) Scanlon
D) McGregor
Bobcat International pays a range of salaries for retail workers. Employees can be paid
anywhere from $5.50/hr to $8.50/hr. This range of pay is called a:
A) pay grade scale.
B) pay range.
C) payroll span.
D) pay area.
The least disruptive way to cut labor costs is through:
A) layoffs.
B) attrition.
C) job redesign.
D) hiring freezes.
Which of the following alternatives to layoffs is LEAST intrusive on the day-to-day
management of a business?
A) Making changes in job design
B) Implementing a pay freeze
C) Changing benefits policies
D) Modifying employment policies
Which of the following is NOT a criticism related to traditional interviews?
A) Lack of flexibility
B) Poor reliability
C) Low validity
D) Interviewer bias
A 50-year-old African-American employee has been “carried” by management for
years. His substandard performance has been largely ignored because of personal
concerns for his family and his supervisor’s inability to confront poor performance.
Now after seven years, the employee is fired as part of a layoff and files an age- and
race-based discrimination suit. The primary way this problem could have been avoided
would have been for the company and supervisor to have:
A) provided EEOC training to all supervisors.
B) established a complaint resolution system.
C) documented the employee’s work history.
D) argued for reverse discrimination.
Legal limitations to employment at will:
A) do not exist in the private sector.
B) exist only for businesses with more than 50 employees.
C) include public policy and implied contract exceptions.
D) include criminal misconduct and psychological contract exceptions.
Businesses such as UPS minimize discrimination complaints regarding succession
planning by:
A) providing training to all employees.
B) identifying potential external candidates.
C) using a formal talent identification process.
D) involving managers in the decision process.
Your company is planning a layoff. As you explain the process to the management
team, you tell them that outplacement assistance is available, which means that the:
A) employee will receive a final interview.
B) company will help departing employees find new jobs.
C) company will measure the rate of employee separations.
D) company can terminate the relationship with the employee for any reason.
Additional Case 4.4
Xavier has just become the head of HR at Hot Rods, Inc. He notices that the company is
very homogenous, especially in light of the very diverse community in which it is
located. He is surprised to find that the number of women and other minorities is quite
low in all positions. As one of his first responsibilities, Xavier wants to implement a
diversity program at Hot Rods.
Refer to Additional Case 4.4. Xavier most likely realizes that more men than women
hold leadership positions at Hot Rods, Inc. because:
A) men are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors and tendencies in the
workplace.
B) women lack the desire to gain executive positions because of family stress.
C) men are more technologically skilled than women.
D) women focus too much on output issues.
Additional Case 1.2
As the manager of HR of an old, established company, you are leading the management
team in a strategic planning session. During the planning session, managers are being
forced to think about the future, see the likely changes in the marketplace, and make
plans to use company resources to enhance their competitive edge. The company
decides that as part of its business strategy, it wants to attract and retain the best
possible employees. You suggest that the company pay a hiring bonus, use a pay scale
that is 10% above the industry average, and provide an extra week of vacation after
only one year instead of the standard three years.
Refer to Additional Case 1.2. The most likely benefit of this strategic planning session
is:
A) communicating a specific business strategy for the firm.
B) identifying the constraints and capabilities of the firm’s HR.
C) exploiting and expanding the firm’s distinctive capabilities.
D) identifying gaps between the current situation and a future vision.
Shakira, who is Latina, is concerned that Latinos seem to be receiving less employment
assistance and training than African-Americans at local businesses. Her concern is most
likely the result of:
A) rising competition for job opportunities.
B) segmented communication networks.
C) a male-dominated social culture.
D) stereotyping.
Kyle has been hired by a staffing agency and put to work at Columbus Enterprises as a
data analyst. After 90 days, Kyle will learn if he will be hired as a permanent employee.
Which of the following terms best describes this recruiting method?
A) Offshoring
B) Evaluation orientation
C) Temporary hiring
D) Applicant-driven selection
A firm is offering a one-time tangible prize to the employee who receives the highest
customer service evaluation in a particular month. This company is using a(n)
________ incentive.
A) bonus
B) award
C) promotion
D) merit increase
Creativity training:
A) provides long-term results.
B) is difficult to evaluate for effectiveness.
C) tends to solve more problems than other types of training.
D) primarily benefits employees who work in virtual teams.
Geert Hofstede identified five measures or dimensions of culture. One of those
dimensions, the extent to which individuals expect a hierarchical structure that
emphasizes status differences between subordinates and superiors, is called:
A) power distance.
B) individualism.
C) uncertainty avoidance.
D) masculinity/femininity.
The extent to which the technique measures the intended knowledge, skill, or ability is
known as ________.
________ is a program designed to reward employees for good performance.
Beliefs that operate unconsciously and define, in a basic taken-for-granted fashion, an
organization’s view of itself and its environment refer to ________.
What are the three areas that an employer needs to consider when establishing a
benefits plan? How can HR use technology to ensure that employees clearly understand
an employer’s benefits plan?
An appraisal tool that asks a supervisor to make judgments about worker characteristics
that tend to be consistent and enduring is referred to as a(n) ________.
The ________ is the complete package of benefits that a company offers its employees.
Discuss the three forms of flexible benefits plans and the challenges involved in
implementing any flexible benefits plan.
A form of electronic communication that integrates voice, video, and text, all of which
can be encoded digitally and transported on fiber optic networks, is referred to as
________.