Question 1

It is legal for an employer to check a person's Social Security number, motor vehicle records, and military records when performing a background check on an applicant.

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is legal for an employer to check an applicant's Social Security number, motor vehicle records, and military records as part of a background check. However, the employer must get the applicant's consent and follow all applicable federal and state laws.

Question 2

The selection process for an international assignment should provide a realistic picture of the life, work, and culture to which the employee may be sent.

Accepted Answer

Providing a realistic picture of the life, work, and culture in the host country is an important part of the selection process for international assignments. This helps the employee to better prepare and adjust to the new environment.

Question 3

Organizations can use honesty/integrity tests to communicate to applicants and employees alike that dishonesty will not be tolerated.

Accepted Answer

Honesty/integrity tests are designed to assess an individual's tendency to be honest and reliable. By using these tests, organizations can send a clear message that they value honesty and integrity in their employees and that dishonest behavior will not be tolerated.

Question 4

Courts have ruled that disqualification questions that screen out potential job applicants before the individuals even fill out a job application are discriminatory.

Accepted Answer

Courts have not universally ruled that pre-application disqualification questions are discriminatory; it depends on the context and whether the questions violate specific anti-discrimination laws.

Question 5

Poor adaptation of an expatriate's spouse and/or family to the overseas location is a major factor in the failure of expatriate assignments.

Accepted Answer

The poor adaptation of an expatriate's spouse and/or family to the overseas location is indeed a major factor in the failure of expatriate assignments. This can lead to emotional stress and practical difficulties, which can affect the expatriate's work performance and overall success in the assignment. Therefore, it is important for companies to provide support not only to their expatriate employees but also to their families to ensure successful overseas assignments.

Question 6

Listening responses such as mirroring and echoing may backfire for managers doing job interviews because these responses give feedback to the applicant.

Accepted Answer

Mirroring and echoing are techniques used in active listening where the listener reflects back what the speaker has said to show that they have understood. However, in a job interview, these responses may give too much feedback to the applicant and affect their responses. It's important for managers to use active listening skills, but they must be careful in their approach.

Question 7

Ernest is applying for a carpentry apprenticeship program. He must take a test involving mathematical calculations including working with fractions and geometry. This is illegal because carpentry is a manual labor job and these tests are cognitive and not job-related.

Accepted Answer

Mathematical calculations and knowledge of geometry are relevant skills for a carpentry apprenticeship program. While carpentry is a manual labor job, the ability to accurately measure and cut materials to exact specifications is essential for success in this field. Therefore, it is not illegal to require a math test as part of the application process.

Question 8

According to the EEOC, if an applicant's résumé voluntarily furnishes some information that cannot be legally obtained, the employer should not use that information during the selection process.

Accepted Answer

The EEOC advises that employers should not use any information in an applicant's résumé that could be used to discriminate against the applicant, including information that cannot be legally obtained (such as age, religion, or marital status). Therefore, it is recommended that employers disregard any such information and focus solely on job-related qualifications when making hiring decisions.

Question 9

On the Big Five personality framework, Bob has tested as broad-minded, curious, and original, which would mean that he is extroverted.

Accepted Answer

The given traits (broad-minded, curious, and original) are associated with the openness personality trait in the Big Five framework, not with extroversion. Therefore, we cannot determine whether Bob is extroverted based on these traits alone.

Question 10

Interviewers are legally allowed to ask applicants questions about their national origin and marital status.

Accepted Answer

No, interviewers are not legally allowed to ask applicants questions about their national origin and marital status as it can result in discrimination.

Question 11

The ADA prohibits the use of preemployment medical exams, except for drug tests, until a job has been conditionally offered.

Accepted Answer

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does prohibit the use of preemployment medical exams, except for drug tests, until a job has been conditionally offered. This is to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities during the hiring process.

Question 12

Albert, a top-performing district manager, was fired when his employer learned that he had not graduated with an MBA as Albert had indicated on his application form two years ago. The employer's application form contained a disclosure that falsification of application information was grounds for termination. Albert's attorney says that the employer's termination of Albert is illegal because application fraud is applicable only within the first year of employment with the employer. Albert's attorney is correct.

Accepted Answer

The statement made by Albert's attorney is incorrect as application fraud is not limited to the first year of employment. An employer can take disciplinary action, including termination, against an employee who has falsified information on their application form at any time during their employment.

Question 13

If employers do not use E-Verify to determine if an applicant is legally permitted to work in the U.S., the employer is considered to be in technical violation of federal law and can be audited by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Accepted Answer

Employers are not required by federal law to use E-Verify, though it is mandatory in some states and for certain federal contractors. Not using it does not constitute a federal violation.

Question 14

A nondirective interview allows the interviewer to improvise and pursue interesting nonroutine discussions. Consequently, the nondirective interview is more likely to turn up critical information that can be compared across applicants than a prepared list of questions.

Accepted Answer

A nondirective interview lacks a structured format, making it difficult to compare responses across applicants consistently.

Question 15

In a situational interview, applicants are required to give specific examples of how they have handled a problem in the past.

Accepted Answer

A situational interview asks applicants to describe how they would handle hypothetical situations, not past experiences.

Question 16

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act prohibits employers, including federal, state, and local government agencies, from using polygraphs for preemployment screening purposes.

Accepted Answer

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act prohibits most private employers from using polygraph tests for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment, but it does not apply to federal, state, and local government agencies, which are allowed to use polygraphs.

Question 17

In general, the more structured a type of selection interview, the more likely it is to be statistically valid.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Structured selection interviews typically involve the use of standardized questions and evaluation criteria, which can lead to more objective and reliable assessments of job candidates. This, in turn, can increase the validity of the selection process.

Question 18

Jennifer, the HR employee of a company, sends an offer letter to the applicant who is significantly more promising than any of the other applicants. The letter welcomes the applicant to the company, and reads, "We look forward to many years of a mutually-beneficial, productive relationship." This language is appropriate because there is no offer of a permanent job.

Accepted Answer

The language in the offer letter indicates an expectation of a long-term relationship, which implies a permanent job offer. Therefore, the statement is not appropriate if there is no offer of a permanent job.

Question 19

Negligent hiring occurs when an employer becomes aware that an employee may be unfit for employment but continues to employ the person, and the person injures someone on the job.

Accepted Answer

Negligent hiring occurs when an employer fails to conduct a reasonable investigation into an employee's background before hiring, leading to harm caused by the employee. The scenario described is more aligned with negligent retention.

Question 20

John has a minor hand tremor which affects his ability to write legibly. This hand tremor would most likely lower John's score on the MacQuarie Test for Mechanical Ability and disqualify him for jobs requiring fine manual dexterity.

Accepted Answer

The MacQuarie Test for Mechanical Ability assesses fine manual dexterity, so a hand tremor would likely lower John's score and disqualify him for jobs requiring this skill.

Quiz 7: Selecting Human Resources