Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Sample Answers
Chapter 3: The Legal Environment and Diversity Management
Answers to Applying the Concept Exercises
Applying the Concept 3-1: BFOQ
State if each of the following would or wouldn’t meet the test of a BFOQ.
a. It is a legal BFOQ
b. It is NOT a legal BFOQ
1. For the job of modeling women’s clothing, applicants must be female.
2. For a job of loading packages onto trucks to be delivered, applicants must be able to lift 35
pounds.
3. For the job of teaching business at a Catholic college, applicants must be practicing
Catholics.
4. For the job of attendant in a men’s locker facility at a gym, applicants must be male.
A. Legal. Could legitimately be a BFOQ to be male if there is a likelihood of an invasion of
another person’s privacy.
5. For the job of a guard in a prison with male inmates, applicants must be men.
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Applying the Concept 3-2: Employment Laws
Review the laws listed below and then write the letter corresponding to each law before the
statement(s) describing a situation where that law would apply.
a. Equal Pay
b. Title VII CRA 1964
c. ADEA
d. VEVRAA
e. PDA
f. ADA
g. CRA 1991
h. USERRA
i. VBIA
j. GINA
k. LLFPA
l. Immigration laws
6. I had to take a medical test, and the company found out that I am at high risk to get cancer.
So it decided not to hire me so it could save money on medical insurance.
7. Although I was the best qualified, I was intentionally not promoted because I am a woman.
B. Title VII CRA 1964. CRA was the major law to protect against discrimination.
8. I can’t understand why this firm doesn’t want to hire me just because I served my country.
I didn’t want to go and fight overseas, but I was drafted into the Army in 1969 and had no
choice; I didn’t want to go to jail for draft evasion.
9. My boss is laying me off because I serve in the National Guard and will be deployed
overseas for 6 months. As a result, I will have to find a new job when I get back.
10. The firm is laying me off to hire some younger person to save money. Is this what I
deserve for my 20 years of dedication?
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
11. The company I work for is in trouble with the INS because it never asked me any
questions about my being legally eligible to work in America.
12. I’m being paid less than the men who do the same jobs, just because I’m a woman.
A. Equal pay. Men and women must be paid the same wages for the same job, unless there is
a good reason, such as experience.
13. The firm hired this new guy and bought a special low desk because he is so short.
14. I’m suing the firm for lost wages because they intentionally discriminated against me and
fired me when I complained about it.
Applying the Concept 3-3: Sexual Harassment
Write the letter and number codes listed below before each statement to indicate the kind of
behavior it describes.
a. sexual harassment: After the harassment letter, write in if it is (1) quid pro quo or (2)
hostile work environment harassment (i.e., write a/1 or a/2).
b. not sexual harassment
15. Karen tells her coworker Jim an explicitly sexual joke, even though twice before, Jim told
her not to tell him any dirty jokes.
16. Ricky-Joe typically puts his hand on his secretary’s shoulder as he talks to her, and she is
comfortable with this behavior.
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
17. José, the supervisor, tells his secretary, Latoya, that he’d like to take her out for the first
time today.
18. Cindy tells her assistant, Juan, that he will have to go to a motel with her if he wants to be
recommended for a promotion.
A/1: Sexual harassment/quid pro quo. Sex as a requirement for the job is sexual harassment.
19. Jack and Jill have each hung up pictures of nude men and women on the walls near their
desks, in view of other employees who walk by.
20. As coworker Rachel talks to Carlos, he is surprised and uncomfortable because she gently
rubs his buttock.
A/2: Sexual harassment/hostile work environment. Touching in private areas is sexual
harassment when unwelcomed, and since this is between coworkers it would not be quid pro
quo.
Answers to Skill Builder Exercises
Skill Builder 3–1 Answers and Ideas
The Four-Fifths Rule
Total Time (10–20 min)
You can simply do the calculations, or have students do them on the board, for the class to
check their answers.
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Answers
1:
Males Females
Applicants 100 100
2:
White Non-white
Applicants 120 75
Selected 80 25
3:
White Females Non-White Females
Applicants 63 109
Selected 17 22
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Skill Builder 3–2 Ideas
Diversity Training
Doing Skill Builder 2 in Class
Objective
To become more aware of and sensitive to diversity. Students should have better empathy for
others that have been prejudiced, stereotyped, or discriminated against. Hopefully, this will
lead to students being less inclined to do these behaviors.
Procedure 1 (2–3 min)
Break the class into groups of 4–6 with as much diversity as possible. Check the diversity
levels and reassign people to groups to improve diversity, if necessary. Select a spokesperson
to give the group’s best one or two example answers to the Question 17. Prejudice,
Stereotypes, and Discrimination question; it is not necessary to report on any other areas.
Lussier, Human Resources Management 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Conclusion
Lead a class discussion and/or make concluding remarks.