Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA) Certification Practice Test

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• Under the California WARN Act, the minimum number of employees required for the 60-days notice requirement before mass layoff, relocation, or termination is?
• Sunshine laws reinforce transparency in public operations by requiring what?
• AB 9 extends the filing period for discrimination complaints with the DFEH to 3 years. This change applies to complaints filed with which department?
• What was the name of the civil service reform plan announced by Florida Governor Jeb Bush in 2001?
• What should be avoided in a class definition?
• What is the role of central oversight in a decentralized HR system?
• What is the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA)?
• What describes the factors to include in a class definition?
• What does criterion-referenced assessment rely on to determine competence?
• Which factor ensures the fairness and defensibility of the screening process for hires?
• What happens if a job under review is essentially identical to a benchmark job?
• How does salary information accessibility differ between private firms and public organizations?
• What must an employee do to invoke Weingarten Rights?
• What should guide a hiring decision according to standard HR practice?
• Which law mandates lactation accommodations in the workplace, including the public sector?
• Workforce Planning is defined as which process?
• In employee investigations, due process requires which of the following?
• CFRA and FEHA address related workplace rights; CFRA specifically provides job-protected leave for family and medical reasons; FEHA prohibits discrimination. Which of the following is true?
• Who typically compares the job with the classification standard?
• Under MMBA, which employees are excluded from coverage?
• What is the Rule of Three in civil service systems?
• What is the primary purpose of a selection plan in public sector hiring?
• Which of the following is not typically listed as an important activity in a centralized HR system?
• Which of the following statements best summarizes the overall effect of SB 1383 on CFRA?
• What is the commonly referred term for the standard or measurement used in whole job ranking?
• SB 778 requires employers to provide what to all employees every two years?
• What significant change did Service First propose regarding the employment status of 16,000 employees in Florida?
• Under the TEAM Act, what is the purpose of the new performance evaluation system?
• Prior to SB 1383, CFRA coverage applied to employers with how many employees?
• If work behaviors are not observable, what should be identified in a job analysis?
• When parties cannot reach an agreement in negotiations, what term describes this situation?
• What is the primary role of the Brown Act in public sector HR?
• The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act primarily governs the bargaining rights of which group?
• AB 641 (Union Access to Workplaces) grants union representatives access to worksites for what purpose?
• Which statement best captures the relationship between merit and diversity in hiring?
• What is the purpose of the ADEA?
• Which statement best captures the merit-based selection purpose?
• What is the primary use of criterion-referenced assessments?
• What is another name for job standards/specification?
• How do union contracts typically influence employee benefits?
• Under Service First, what overall changes were proposed regarding Florida's public workforce?
• What is a primary outcome of banding in terms of the candidate pool?
• The Equal Pay Act aims to abolish wage differentials based on sex. Which statement best captures its purpose?
• When a union representative requests disciplinary records for a represented employee, HR should:
• What are the specific time frames for 5 point preference eligibility?
• What is included in the Preferred service under the TEAM Act?
• What should a class definition contain?
• How should factors be defined in a class definition?
• What is the purpose of workforce planning?
• AB 3080 regulates employment agreements by prohibiting which practice?
• Which act is the primary legal framework for collective bargaining in the California state government, distinct from local government acts?
• What is Civil Service Reform?
• A key challenge of recruitment in the public sector is which of the following?
• Which factor addresses the variety of work assignments in determining job difficulty?
• To increase salaries, what is the correct process?
• Which scenario is norm-referenced criteria particularly appropriate?
• Which statement about the Equal Pay Act is true?
• Which practice involves organizing jobs into classes or grades based on duties and qualifications?
• What change did Service First introduce regarding employee bonuses?
• When an employee discloses PTSD and asks for a modified schedule, what process must HR follow?
• What precedent did Bollinger v. California Department of Corrections (1994) establish?
• Which concept did Service First weaken by allowing discretion in firing?
• What is GeorgiaGain?
• Who provides HR services in a decentralized HR system?
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits what?
• Which statement best exemplifies a norm group?
• What action best supports a fair investigation when a high-profile employee is accused?
• What impact can a change in administration have on HR operations?
• Which of the following is listed as a work stoppage type?
• What flexibility do organizations have in considering applicants?
• What is the most critical part of the standard in class definition?
• What are Weingarten Rights?
• What must a specialist do if the similarity between the job and classification standard is not readily identifiable?
• What is the purpose of a Skelly meeting?
• Public sector HR aims to ensure delivery of public services while adhering to which constraints?
• Under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, if a pregnant employee requests light duty, what is the employer’s obligation?
• Which element is a core feature of the merit system as described?
• Why do elected mayors and governors typically have limited terms?
• AB 241 impact on public sector HR?
• Who conducts the comparison in whole job ranking?
• Which party is responsible for comparing a job to the classification standard in most public sector settings?
• The appeals process in a selection context serves to do what?
• Which scenario illustrates appropriate HR intervention regarding safety violations?
• What do disciplinary procedures in merit systems protect?
• Which of the following statements best captures the relationship between CFRA and FEHA?
• The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) primarily establishes which standards?
• What change did Service First propose regarding the Public Employee Relations Commission?
• In whole job ranking, what does the classification specialist do?
• Which statement correctly contrasts norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments?
• AB 2967 addresses which issue in public employment?
• Which category is protected under laws enforced by the EEOC?
• What does the ADEA require about job requirements?
• If a non-exempt employee checks emails at home after hours to stay caught up, what does the Fair Labor Standards Act require?
• What is the TEAM Act in Tennessee?
• In terms of safety violations, which approach reflects proper discipline?
• The California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) primarily aims to:
• What is the primary objective when hiring to balance qualifications with diversity goals?
• Affirmative action is generally defined as what?
• What qualifies someone as a 0 point preference eligible?
• How can benchmark jobs be used in job classification?
• What did Service First eliminate that affected senior employees during layoffs?
• Which statement best describes the overarching goal of using objective qualifications, consistent interviews, and documented evaluation criteria in HR?
• Garcetti v. Ceballos (2006) established what about public employee speech?
• What is criterion-referenced assessment intended to measure?
• What is the California Public Records Act (CPRA)?
• Transitional leadership describes leadership changes that occur when which officials are elected for limited terms?
• Which option best describes the primary competency that focuses on aligning HR strategy with organizational goals?
• SB 142 relates to HR by requiring what accommodations?
• Which act governs collective bargaining rights for public schools and community colleges?
• What does the job standards/specification method rely on?
• Compared to the Rule of Three, banding typically results in what for the pool of applicants?
• What rights does the Peace Officers' Bill of Rights give regarding adverse comments in the personnel file?
• Open Meetings laws apply to which of the following?
• How are the salaries for most public officials set?
• Which statement about the effect of salary increases is historically observed?
• If a supervisor rates all employees as Exceeds Expectations to avoid conflict, what is HR's recommended action?
• Which statement accurately describes ADEA coverage?
• Garrity Rights protect public employees from what?
• Which of the following best describes the purpose of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)?
• Which statement best captures the difference between public and private sector HR?
• What is a bands system in applicant scoring?
• What are the limitations of at-will employment in the public sector?
• What best describes the influence of leadership pressure on HR investigations?
• Which of the following is NOT listed as a primary competency assessed in the PSHRA and IPMA-CP certifications?
• Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA) applies to which employees?
• Disclosing disciplinary records to a union must comply with what governance?
• What does the term 'coequal' imply in the applicant pool?
• The ADA requires which process to determine appropriate accommodations?
• SB 1383 affects CFRA in two ways: threshold and family definitions. Which of the following best describes the second change?
• Which characteristic did GeorgiaGain remove for new hires after the reform?
• What is the role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in public sector HR?
• AB 1288 (Remote Work Flexibility) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who request remote work due to what?
• What does benchmarking refer to in whole job ranking?
• What streamlined process was established for the Preferred service under the TEAM Act?
• What is whole job ranking also known as?
• Which metric area is NOT typical in recruitment strategy evaluation?
• What methods were eliminated by GeorgiaGain in the hiring process?
• What type of performance evaluation system was established by the TEAM Act?
• Which entity typically governs the setting of salaries for most public officials?
• Which principle supports fair treatment in misconduct investigations?
• What is the expectation regarding transparency in public HR operations?
• The Equal Pay Act aims to address which problem?
• Which statement best describes the relationship of factors to a class series?
• Which is the correct procedure when evaluating candidates across bands?
• Which factor concerns the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job?
• Which items are typically included in recruitment metrics?
• SB 1383 expands CFRA by extending coverage to employers with how many employees?
• What is "Position Classification" in public sector HR?
• During a disciplinary meeting, an employee asks for union representation retroactively. What is required?
• Which factor is a key determinant of level of difficulty/complexity of a job?
• If a job aligns with the key factors of the classification standard, what is the resulting classification?
• Which statement best captures the overall aim of the public sector HR concepts described?
• Does the ADEA cover state and local governments?
• What is the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) primarily about?
• How is GeorgiaGain best described in terms of its scope?
• Which scenario best illustrates a Reduction in Force (RIF)?
• Can citizens request salary information for public employees?
• What should a job analysis describe?
• What is a "RIF" in public sector HR?
• If the benchmark position is similar but not identical to the position under review, what is advisable?
• What effect does increasing a public official's salary often have?
• What is the purpose of Veterans' Preference in public sector hiring?
• How do norm groups set standards in norm-referenced criteria?
• What type of work behaviors should be selected for measurement in a job analysis?
• Which statement best captures how merit system requirements are established?
• The MMBA governs collective bargaining for which group?
• What age group does the ADEA specifically protect?
• In banded selection, which statement best describes the order of evaluating candidates?
• In the same bands system, applicants with raw scores from 60 to 79 are assigned which score?
• In norm-referenced scoring, why is a norm group necessary?
• In a bands system, applicants with raw scores from 80 to 100 are assigned which score?
• In class definitions, what practice helps maintain clarity?
• What does the California Wage Theft Prevention Act require of employers, including those in the public sector?
• AB 5 codified the ABC test to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. What is the primary purpose of this test in workforce classification?
• Failure to consider reasonable accommodations under the PWFA could expose an employer to which outcome?
• What is the most common method for allocating positions in public organizations?
• Under PAGA, which entity can initiate lawsuits for labor code violations?
• What did the TEAM Act abolish regarding the hiring system?
• What does the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) allow employees in California to do?
• What is the purpose of the meet and confer requirement?
• Which topics are typically included in collective bargaining subjects?
• What are some important activities in a centralized HR system?
• What should a job analysis focus on?
• Which actions are forbidden by the ADEA regarding employee classification?
• What characterizes a decentralized HR system?
• The Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from discriminating between employees on the basis of sex by paying lower wages for equal work.
• Under California Labor Code Section 2810.5 (Wage Theft Prevention Act), what must employers provide to non-exempt employees at the time of hire?
• If a department shows a pattern of informal warnings for serious safety violations, HR should…
• If work behaviors lead to work products, what should be analyzed?
• Which statement best describes the role of diversity in hiring decisions?
• Which of the following best describes the scope of collective bargaining?
• What is the purpose of the class definition within a classification system?
• The Dills Act is associated with governing collective bargaining for which group?
• What happens if an employer denies an employee's request for representation?
• Which law protects service members' ability to return to public sector employment after military service?
• What defines a norm group in norm-referenced criteria?
• What is the primary risk of using inconsistent interview questions across candidates?
• Which term refers to a work stoppage involving health-related absenteeism used as a bargaining tactic?
• AB 119 (Union Orientation) requires public employers to provide union representatives access to what?
• What term describes the employment status of Executive service members under the TEAM Act?
• Which statement aligns with merit-based hiring?
• Which types of organizations are covered by the ADEA?
• AB 9 (Stop Harassment and Reporting Extension) extended the statute of limitations for filing discrimination, harassment, or retaliation complaints with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing from 1 year to how many years?
• How should a job analysis treat work behaviors with respect to their relation to performance outcomes?
• The Equal Pay Act aims to address issues that depress wages and living standards and burden commerce. True or False?
• How can the salaries of public officials be increased?
• What does the Ralph C. Dills Act provide for California state employees?
• Which option describes a PSHRA competency area that deals with compliance and risk?
• In which employment contexts does the ADEA prohibit age discrimination?
• What change did GeorgiaGain implement for state employees hired after July 1, 1996?
• Define Collective Bargaining in the public sector.
• Who is included in the Executive service under the TEAM Act?
• When did the biggest change of GeorgiaGain go into effect?
• Why would a paper and pencil exam for accountants be inappropriate for accounting assistant applicants?
• What happens if the job fits the factors of the classification standard?
• Which factor relates to originality or creativity in performing tasks?
• Which action best aligns with compliance and fairness in recruitment?
• What is the purpose of "Public Sector Unionization"?
• Which item is NOT typically included in a public sector job description?
• Are employers allowed to reduce an employee's wage rate to comply with the ADEA?
• The Equal Pay Act is a federal law amending the Fair Labor Standards Act. True or False?
• What are the two distinct employee service groups created by the TEAM Act?
• What is the Hatch Act?
• How do disciplinary procedures affect managers' capabilities?
• What is the significance of Open Meetings laws in public HR?
• The definition of affirmative action includes which of the following?
• In which year is the Equal Pay Act identified by its name?
• What does recruitment strategy evaluation use to assess recruitment practices?
• What did the Pendleton Act establish?
• What is a key guideline for writing a class definition?
• Who typically selects which coequal applicants advance under rule-based coequal grouping?
• The purpose of HR Metrics in the public sector is to measure what?
• What is the role of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in California?
• Which body would lose independence under the Service First reforms?
• The Pendleton Act is best described as what?
• What responsibility do state agencies have under GeorgiaGain?
• Which groups are included in the Preferred service under the TEAM Act?
• Which score is assigned to the 80-100 raw score band in the bands system?
• What describes central oversight's function in a decentralized HR environment?
• Which element is described by 'types of tasks, level of difficulty, and complexity' in job classification?
• What should a job analysis include regarding work behaviors?
• Which statement about the California WARN Act is true?
• AB 119 applies to which level of government or employers?
• What is the rationale for merit selection according to Berman et al.?
• Which characteristic should HR uphold during misconduct investigations, regardless of status?
• California Labor Code Section 1102.5 provides protection against retaliation for reporting what?
• How are applicants considered in a rank score system?
• If a supervisor tries to hire someone they know without interviewing, how should HR respond?
• AB 1522 (Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act) requires California employers to provide paid sick leave to employees who work how many days within a year?
• The TEAM Act's private-sector-like personnel system is intended to emulate practices from which sector?
• In the context of classification, which document serves as the benchmark against which positions are evaluated?
• What is the active duty requirement for a 5 point preference eligible?
• What is the purpose of merit-based selection?
• Can HR processing activities be performed off-site from the central HR hub?
• Which case ruling primarily impacts whistleblower protections by limiting First Amendment coverage for certain public employee speech?
• In the context of recruitment and hiring, which outcome is directly associated with transparency for applicants?
• What action should HR take when a department uses informal warnings for serious safety violations?
• A major area of contention between HR staff and public managers is what?
• How did Service First affect the ability of agency heads to fire workers?
• Under SB 1383, the definition of family members for CFRA leave includes which of the following?
• What is the primary goal of public sector HR?
• What does a job standard or specification generally describe?
• Bollinger v. CDOC focused on harassment in which sector?
• What are 'sunshine' laws?
• The Equal Pay Act of 1963 amended which federal statute?
• HR Metrics and Analytics are used to accomplish which of the following?
• A long-time employee who has consistently performed well suddenly begins missing deadlines. What should HR do first?
• What are the three types of preference eligibles in the federal government?
• USERRA applies to which group?
• California Government Code 12950.1 requires anti-harassment training for which individuals?
• Which of the following is a direct consequence of an appeals process in selection?
• What is a common strategy for containing benefit costs?
• Are referrals by employment agencies covered under the ADEA?
• In California labor law, what are 'agency shop' agreements?
• Who is covered under the MMBA?
• Which statement best describes Veterans' Preference in federal hiring?
• Who may provide representation under Weingarten rights during an investigatory interview?
• What does "good faith bargaining" mean under the MMBA?
• Which statute mandates anti-harassment training in California workplaces with a threshold of five or more employees?
• Which of the following is NOT listed as a key component of a public sector job description?
• AB 51 prohibits employers from requiring employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements as a condition of employment for disputes related to which areas?
• What procedure was eliminated by the TEAM Act regarding longer-term employees?
• What qualifies someone as a 10 point preference eligible?
• Which score is assigned to the 60-79 raw score band in the bands system?
• Which item is NOT required to be included in the wage notice under California Labor Code 2810.5?
• What is the primary benchmark used in criterion-referenced assessment?
• What does the Merit system encompass?
• Which law ensures open meetings for public entities, including HR budget decisions?
• When a high-profile union leader is accused of misconduct, HR should…
• Under the Rule of Three, which group size is a valid option for the coequal pool?
• California Workers' Compensation Act applies to public sector employees by ensuring what?
• Which of the following periods is NOT a valid 5-point eligibility window?
• When do Weingarten Rights apply?