SPHR Practice Exam Questions and Answers

Which of the following occurs when an employer makes untrue promises or claims to a candidate?

During an interview test John scored highly as being an individual who possesses empathy for others. John has been awarded the job and is now performing in the organization. Evidence since John's hiring has shown that John is indeed someone who is empathetic to others. This is an example of what type of validity?

Jan is the HR Professional for your organization. An employee within the organization has filed a charge with the EEOC that discrimination has been done by your organization against her. The EEOC has investigated the case and has found that there is no reasonable cause against your company. The person filing the charge, however, still believes that discrimination has occurred. How long does this person have, to file a lawsuit against your company?

Once the EEOC has found that there is no reasonable cause, the complainant cannot file a lawsuit to sue.

Your manager has approached you regarding her desire to outsource certain functions to an external firm. She would like for you to create a document to send to three vendors asking them for solutions for these functions that your organization is to outsource. What type of a procurement document would you create and send to the vendors in this instance?

Which of the following Supreme Court cases found that an employer can be held liable for the sexual harassment of its employees?

Data integrity, employment practices liability insurance, OSHA, and workplace violence policies are all examples of which of the following HR functions?

Your organization is comprised of various functional units, such as sales, marketing, IT, and manufacturing. When projects are created in this structure, the project team members often come from all functional areas of the organization and may work on several projects at a time. What type of organization structure are you likely operating within?

Marcy is an hourly-paid employee in the JKJ Company. Her supervisor Tom has asked Marcy to not begin working on a presentation until he leaves a meeting. The meeting happens to last six hours and Marcy doesn't have other work to do while Tom is in the meeting. Marcy decides to read a book while she waits. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act should Marcy be paid for reading the book? Choose the best answer:

“Thanks for such a great presentation! You'll always have a job with us.” This is an example of what?

The correlation coefficient is a statistical measurement that is useful for which of the following?

Robert is the HR Professional for a construction company. He's working with several site managers to communicate the requirements of OSHA reporting. Robert wants to convey the requirements of OSHA's reporting for work-related injuries. Which one of the following is the OSHA definition of a work-related injury?

Which of the following is an example of a passive training method?

What term is used to describe the values, worth, work ethics, attitude, and collective sense of an identity in an organization?

Your organization has created an affirmative action plan which includes an internal audit and reporting system. According to the Department of Labor there are four actions which should be included in the internal audit and reporting system to be effective. Which of the following is not one of the Department of Labor recommended actions for the internal audit and reporting system?

As an SPHR, you are to participate in enterprise risk management. Risk is an uncertain event or condition that may have a positive or negative effect on the enterprise. In HR, what is the first action you must do to participate in enterprise risk management?

Validity is an important part of the interview process. All HR Professionals should recognize validity through the interview process. Which one of the following is not one of the four types of validity?

An employee earning $22,500 per year supervises three employees and spends 35 hours per week on essential job duties that require discretion and independent judgment. Which of the following describes this employee?

As an HR Professional you should be familiar with OSHA forms for maintaining employee records. OSHA form 301 is used to document the incident that caused the work-related injury or illness. How long is an organization required to keep the form on record?

As a HR Professional you must understand the laws and regulations, which affect employee compensation. Which of the following was the first to address a minimum wage for employees?

A correlation coefficient is an example of a type of what?

Lucas has asked his manager to take time off from work because of a holiday his religion celebrates. Fran agrees but tells Lucas that he will be inspecting his project work to ensure that the work is accurate and not suffering because of the requested time off. This is an example of what?

Your organization is looking for methods to improve communication between the management and the employees within the company. Which one of the following methods is best described as a small but representative sampling of employees - led in a conversation by a neutral moderator about an identified topic?

As an HR Professional you must recognize, and be aware of several pieces of legislation that affects your performance as an HR Professional. Which one of the following acts exempted labor unions and agricultural organizations from The Sherman Antitrust Act?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 grants employees the right to do all of the following except which one?

You are the HR Professional for your organization and you've identified a risk event. The risk event can be mitigated by purchasing an insurance to protect the organization. The purchase of the insurance policy is what type of risk response?

As an HR Professional you must be familiar with several acts of congress, laws, and regulations that address risks in the workplace. Which of the following laws was the first to establish consistent safety standards for workers?

Which of the following functional areas covers activities related to planning for and managing entry into and exit from the organization to meet changing business needs?

Mark is an HR Professional for his organization and he has been given the assignment to create an Affirmative Action Plan for his company. Mark will also be considered to be designated the responsibility for this Affirmative Action Plan. What does the designation of responsibility mean?

Nancy is creating training manual for her organization. She wants to use a photo as the course cover, but you think the photo is likely protected under copyright laws. How long does copyright protection last for photos?

Within the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, there are rules for notifying employees of mass layoffs and plant closings. There are, however, three exceptions to the notification time limit. Which one of the following is a valid exception to the notification time limit for a plant closing?

As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules governing union-based strikes. What is the ally doctrine?

One purpose of a diversity initiative is to do what?

Which of the following is paid to employees who are called to work before or after their scheduled hours?

Which of the following activities does not contribute to ergonomic injuries?

As an HR Professional you should be familiar with the terminology, practices, and rules governing unions and management in the bargaining process. What is the zipper clause in regard to negotiations?

What is an employer's responsibility when workplace conditions pose a threat to an unborn child?

Which of the following occurs in violation of a contract clause prohibiting strikes during the term of the contract?

What is a target-benefit plan?

An effective progressive disciplinary process begins with which of the following?

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

Samantha applied as an outside sales rep for a new sales territory. Part of the selection process included an assessment test that measures successful sales characteristics. Samantha scored particularly high on the test. During the interview, Christopher, the hiring manager, had some concerns about how well Samantha would fit into the company culture, but when he learned how high she scored on the test, he immediately decided to hire her. What bias could be at work in this situation?

Jennifer is the HR Professional for her organization. Her supervisor, Dan, has asked Jennifer to find the Compa-ratio for Sam. Sam earns $40,000 as a mechanic, but the midpoint for a mechanic is actually $50,000. What is the Compa-ratio for Sam?

An organization would like to bid on a project, but they don't have enough employees available to complete the work. The organization approaches a competitor with the opportunity to partner on the project to win the work. What type of risk response is used in this instance?

Fran is a HR Professional for her organization and she is interviewing applicants for a warehouse position. One of the candidates has written on his application that he speaks Spanish. Fran interviews this candidate in Spanish and interviews all other candidates in English. This is an example of what?

Which one of the following best describes Progressive discipline?

Which of the following is used to determine current market trends and competition for different skills and knowledge and to assist the employer in setting pay levels?

The union rep has requested copies of all the incident reports filed during the last year. You are required to do what?

Which of the following allows employees to work the hours that enable them to take care of personal work?

A key consideration for courts in cases involving workplace searches is which of the following?

Employee Weingarten rights established which of the following?

All of the following statements about employment at-will are true except which one?

As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with intrinsic rewards and extrinsic rewards that your company provides for its employees. Which of the following is an example of an intrinsic reward?

How can an employer determine whether a job creates an ergonomic hazard for an employee?

Which of the following standards requires employers to provide employees with information about physical and health hazards related to chemical use in the workplace?

Which of the following serves to motivate employees to work safely, reduce workers compensation costs, and encourage improvements to safety programs?

Match the Common law doctrine of employment with their descriptions.

Which of the following requires employees to act within the authority granted by the employer?

Which of the following injuries would be considered work-related for purposes of reporting?

Mary is in an interview with the BAH Company and she asks the company about the stability of the company and its future plans. Tom, the interviewer, assures Mary that the company is solid and has long-term plans for growth and opportunity. Tom, however, knows that the plant and position that Mary is interviewing for will be closed in six months. Tom offers Mary the position of plant manager because he needs someone to manage the facility until they close the plant, but he doesn't tell Mary of his plans. This is an example of which of the following?

Which of the following is provided by the companies to their employees who are called to work before or after their scheduled work hours?

Which of the following should be included in a supervisory training program?

In which of the following types of interview does the interviewer ask broad questions and allow the candidate to guide the conversation?

Which of the following includes any costs the organization incurs for the benefit of employees, such as all forms of cash compensation?

Which of the following Acts provides protection to workers in the event of mass layoffs or plant closings?

Which of the following encourages individual employee self esteem, such as satisfaction from challenging and exciting assignments?

Calculate the training cost per employee using the following data: $2,000 for the training design and facilitator; $2,500 for the facility; 20 full-time employees (40 hours per week) and 10 part-time employees (20 hours per week).

Task identity, task significance, and feedback are all examples of what?

Which of the following is designed to give students opportunities to gain experience in their chosen fields prior to graduation?

Which of the following moves an entire work process out of the organization to be handled by a company specializing in the work process?

James is a highly productive salesperson who is required to share a team bonus with his co-workers if certain sales goals are met each month. He is frustrated with this compensation structure, because he believes his teammates do not contribute as much as he does to the final numbers. This is an example of what?

Which of the following is a form of simulation training?

You are a HR Professional for your organization and you're educating your staff on the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Which one of the following statements about the Pregnancy Discrimination Act is not true?

Which of the following would be the best choice of a profit-sharing plan if the employer wishes to improve organizational productivity through shared management and employee efforts?

A ___________ learning curve begins slowly, with smaller learning increments, but increases in pace and with larger increments as learning continues.

A reduced FMLA leave schedule means which of the following?

• Accurate records of time off are maintained.
• The employee is absent from work multiple times for the same illness or injury.
• The employee works fewer hours each day or week.
• The employee's leave schedule is disruptive to the work schedule.

Mark made a federal complaint against what he believes was illegal activity in the workplace to a federal agency. Now Mark's employer has reduced his work hours dramatically and Mark believes it is revenge for the federal complaint he made. What term describes the type of evidence Mark must have to file another complaint against the company that has affected his employment?

As an SPHR you know that it's important for the management to show recognition for employees that have gone above and beyond what's expected of them. For rewards and recognition to be useful, the employees must be interested in the recognition. What other factor must be true?

Which of the following is the correct definition of “a major life activity” under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Which of the following structural changes is used to decrease expenses by reducing the size of the workforce?

What is the purpose of a diversity initiative?

Which of the following are hired only at times of the year when the workload increases?

Based on an analysis of the industry and labor market trends, a VP of Human Resources has determined that the best course of action for her company is to change from a narrow to a broadband salary structure. The current structure has been in place for more than 15 years, and the VP is anticipating strong resistance to making the change. Which of the following tools should the VP use to convince the executive team to make the change?

Drag and drop the traditional theories of motivation concepts according to the given information.

The middle value when values are arranged in order from high to low is which of the following?

Which of the following activities makes sure that the products or services are available at times of peak customer demand?

Which of the following is the way in which the goods or service will be produced?

Which of the following is a basic principle behind job analysis?

Which of the following are self-employed individuals who work on a project or fee basis with multiple customers or clients?

Which of the following is another term for a profit and loss statement?

Which of the following decisions result in a workforce reduction or transfer of employees to other jobs?

You are the HR Professional for your company in a manufacturing facility that operates in a 24-7 format. What work shift in this type of operation is considered the swing shift?

Bob is a nonexempt employee for his organization. He has worked a full day and has left for home. His commute is two hours one-way. When he arrives home he receives a phone call from his supervisor Dan. An emergency has happened and they need Bob to immediately return to work. How much time is Bob's employer required to pay for Bob's travel in this instance?

The concept that recognizes that businesses are social organizations as well as economic systems and that productivity is related to employee job satisfaction is known as what?

Which of the following is a productivity type of statistical HR measurement?

As a Senior HR Professional, you must be familiar with certain legal terms, laws, and regulations that affect how you and others operate in the workplace. Basically, there are three types of discrimination that can happen in the workforce. Which of the following is NOT one of the three discrimination types?

Health and wellness programs are beneficial for employers because they do what?

As a Senior HR Professional, you should be familiar with copyright laws when it comes to organizational development and the usage of materials. There are six categories of protected rights for creators protected by the copyright law. Which of the following is not one of the six categories?

Check the different types of workers that correspond to their worker categories.

Your organization mainly focuses on the production of bicycles for selling it around the world. In addition to this, the organization also produces scooters. The management wants to restrict its line of production to bicycles. Therefore, it decides to sell the scooter production department to another competitor. Which of the following terms best describes the sale of the scooter production department to your competitor?

Fill in the blank with the appropriate qualitative analysis technique.

The_______________ group technique is a structured meeting format designed to elicit participation from all members of the group in order to arrive at the best possible solution to the problem at hand.