HRCI PHR Professional in Human Resources Exam Practice Test

The first step under the ADA is to engage in the interactive process with the employee. This helps determine whether the accommodation is reasonable and what documentation may be needed.

Official Extract:

"Upon receiving an accommodation request, employers must engage in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations without requiring unnecessary medical disclosure."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Reasonable Accommodation Compliance)

Legally, deductions like Social Security and court-ordered child support are permissible under wage and hour laws. Unauthorized deductions could risk jeopardizing the employee’s exempt status under FLSA.

Official Extract:

"Mandatory deductions such as taxes and court-ordered garnishments are lawful and do not affect an employee’s exempt status under the FLSA."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Total Rewards Section, Payroll Compliance)

When an employee with a documented serious health condition is struggling with work attendance, the employer must engage in the interactive process under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to explore reasonable accommodations before taking adverse action.

Official Extract:

"Employers are required to engage in a timely, good-faith interactive process when an employee’s medical condition impacts work performance. This process identifies possible accommodations under the ADA."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Employment Law Compliance)

Inherent plausibility refers to whether the witness’s account of events makes logical sense based on the circumstances. It is one of the key factors investigators use to determine the reliability of testimony.

Official Extract:

"Credibility assessments during investigations should consider whether the witness’s story is inherently plausible, logically consistent, and aligned with known facts."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Conducting Internal Investigations)

Including a neutral option allows respondents to honestly indicate when they have no experience or opinion about a survey item, improving the accuracy of survey data.

Official Extract:

"Effective survey design includes neutral or ‘no opinion’ options to allow respondents without direct experience to avoid skewing results."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Learning and Development Section, Survey Development and Feedback Mechanisms)

The primary goal of assigning mentors during onboarding is to help new employees adjust to the organizational culture, including unwritten rules, social norms, and expectations that formal training might not cover.

Official Extract:

"Mentoring during onboarding enhances cultural assimilation by providing new employees with guidance, support, and insider knowledge about organizational norms and values."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Mentoring and Cultural Assimilation)

The recency effect occurs when evaluators place too much emphasis on the most recent information they received — in this case, the last candidate interviewed — rather than evaluating all candidates equally.

Official Extract:

"The recency effect is a type of interview bias where the most recently reviewed candidates or events are disproportionately weighted in evaluation decisions."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Interview and Selection Bias)

Vesting means that an employee has earned the non-forfeitable right to employer-provided benefits (such as retirement contributions) after fulfilling certain conditions like years of service.

Official Extract:

"Vesting is the process by which employees earn rights to employer-contributed benefits over time, according to a defined schedule, as governed by ERISA requirements."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Total Rewards Section, Retirement Plan Fundamentals)

The "lead the market" compensation strategy involves offering higher-than-average wages to attract top talent and hard-to-fill roles. This approach positions the organization as highly competitive for skilled candidates.

Official Extract:

"Leading the market on pay enables organizations to attract and retain highly qualified candidates, particularly for critical or hard-to-fill positions."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Total Rewards Section, Compensation Strategy Models)

A laissez-faire leadership style is characterized by minimal intervention. Leaders allow employees to self-manage, including handling conflicts independently, which can lead to unresolved tensions if overused.

Official Extract:

"Laissez-faire leadership is defined by the leader’s hands-off approach, offering little guidance or support and often leading to poor team cohesion and unmanaged conflicts."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Leadership Styles and Impact)

A strong performance management policy emphasizes continuous feedback, both formal and informal, throughout the year — not just during annual reviews. This strengthens communication and helps with employee development.

Official Extract:

"Effective performance management practices include continuous feedback loops between employees and supervisors, supporting real-time coaching and growth."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Learning and Development Section, Performance Management Systems)

New employees' early exposure to and understanding of organizational culture — the values, norms, and working environment — has a strong influence on their decision to stay or leave.

Official Extract:

"Introducing employees to the organizational culture during onboarding enhances early engagement, promotes retention, and fosters a sense of belonging."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Onboarding Best Practices)

Engaging respectfully and honestly during termination helps minimize misunderstandings, shows good faith, and reduces the risk of litigation. Respectful treatment also preserves the employer’s reputation and reduces the emotional impact on the employee.

Official Extract:

"Respectful, honest communication during termination discussions can reduce employee anger, demonstrate fairness, and lower the risk of wrongful discharge claims."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Termination Procedures)

Employers must allow, but cannot require, the employee to use available paid leave (like sick time) during military leave. It must be voluntary on the part of the employee.

Official Extract:

"Employees on military leave may elect, but cannot be required, to use accrued vacation, annual, or similar paid leave during their service."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, USERRA Benefits)

The first and most critical step in offboarding to protect data is to disable the departing employee's access to all systems immediately, ensuring they cannot access confidential information after separation.

Official Extract:

"Disabling system access immediately upon termination is a crucial data security measure to prevent unauthorized access to company information."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Offboarding and Data Security)

Top management support is critical because leadership must champion DEI initiatives. Additionally, aligning DEI efforts with overall business objectives ensures sustainability and strategic relevance.

Official Extract:

"Successful DEI initiatives require visible leadership support and integration with organizational strategies and business objectives."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies)

The best employment brands cover the entire employment life cycle, from recruitment through onboarding, development, engagement, and retention — reinforcing a consistent organizational image throughout an employee's journey.

Official Extract:

"Strong employment brands address all stages of the employee lifecycle to enhance attraction, engagement, development, and retention."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Employment Branding)

The key concern when collecting demographic data is maintaining employee anonymity. Avoiding questions that make employees feel identifiable increases participation rates and ensures honest feedback.

Official Extract:

"Surveys must protect respondent confidentiality to ensure authentic responses and avoid perceived or actual risk of identification."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Employee Surveys and Data Collection)

Validity for employment tests is proven when the test is based on a proper job analysis, ensuring that the test measures relevant skills, knowledge, and abilities tied to the job's actual requirements.

Official Extract:

"Validity of employment testing is ensured when a test accurately reflects job-related competencies identified through thorough job analysis."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Employment Testing and Validation)

Employers may regulate off-duty conduct when it directly impacts business interests, such as protecting the organization’s reputation, security, or client relationships — but must comply with applicable state off-duty conduct protections.

Official Extract:

"Employers may restrict off-duty conduct if it negatively affects the organization’s legitimate business interests, such as safety, reputation, or operational integrity."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Employee Rights and Restrictions)

Modeling behavior is most effectively accomplished through role-play or simulation activities, which demonstrate proper responses and actions, especially in critical incidents like safety scenarios.

Official Extract:

"Simulation and role-play exercises model appropriate behaviors and reinforce learning by providing experiential practice opportunities."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Learning and Development Section, Instructional Methods)

Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), an employee must request reemployment within 14 days after release from active duty if the service was for more than 30 days but less than 181 days.

Official Extract:

"Employees returning from military leave must submit a timely application for reemployment, generally within 14 days if service lasted between 31 and 180 days."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Military Leave and Reemployment Rights)

EPLI policies specifically cover employment-related claims such as wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims brought by employees.

Official Extract:

"Employment Practices Liability Insurance covers claims related to wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, and other employee rights violations."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Total Rewards Section, Risk Management and Insurance)

Under IRS regulations, if an employer provides group-term life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000, the cost of coverage above that threshold is considered taxable income to the employee.

Official Extract:

"Employer-paid group-term life insurance exceeding $50,000 in coverage must be reported as taxable income to employees under IRS rules."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Total Rewards Section, Benefits Taxation Compliance)

Environmental scanning is the process of systematically monitoring external factors — such as industry trends, economic shifts, technology, and competitors — to proactively adapt business strategies.

Official Extract:

"Environmental scanning involves assessing external factors that may affect organizational performance, including market trends, competitor analysis, and industry developments."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Strategic Environmental Analysis)

For HR initiatives to succeed, they must be aligned with the organization’s broader strategic goals to ensure relevance, gain executive support, and secure resources.

Official Extract:

"Successful HR initiatives are those that directly support the organization’s strategic objectives, ensuring that human capital strategies drive business outcomes."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Strategic Alignment)

In religious institutions like a Catholic university, requiring certain employees (especially faculty) to adhere to religious standards is generally permissible under the ministerial exception and Title VII protections for religious organizations.

Official Extract:

"Religious organizations are permitted to require employees who perform religious functions to conform to the institution’s religious beliefs and practices."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Employment Law Compliance – Religious Exceptions)

Under FMLA, eligible employees are entitled to take leave for bonding with a newly born, adopted, or foster child within one year of birth or placement. Care for a mother-in-law is typically not covered unless the individual qualifies as a parent under FMLA definitions.

Official Extract:

"Eligible employees may take FMLA leave for the birth of a child, adoption, foster care placement, or to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, FMLA Requirements)

Yield ratio = (Number hired ÷ Number interviewed) × 100Given a 75% yield ratio:0.75 × 16 = 12 hiresOfficial Extract:"Yield ratios evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment efforts by calculating the percentage of candidates moving to the next stage, helping HR improve sourcing strategies."(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Recruitment Metrics)

Cross-functional training and job rotation expose employees to different departments, enhancing collaboration. Additionally, encouraging innovation fosters problem-solving across teams. These two strategies drive a more collaborative, agile work culture.

Official Extract:

"Facilitating cross-functional exposure and encouraging innovation are key strategies to promote collaboration, creativity, and teamwork within organizations."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Building Collaborative Workplaces)

Using an on-call employee provides flexibility and cost efficiency to cover intermittent absences without the commitment of hiring a full-time replacement or seasonal worker. It ensures minimal disruption with lower costs.

Official Extract:

"On-call staffing provides flexible coverage for short-term or intermittent workforce needs, minimizing costs associated with traditional hiring methods."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Flexible Staffing Strategies)

The EEOC limits compensatory and punitive damages under Title VII, ADA, and GINA based on the size of the employer — the larger the employer, the higher the maximum allowed damages.

Official Extract:

"Compensatory and punitive damage caps under federal anti-discrimination laws are scaled based on the employer’s number of employees."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Remedies and Penalties for Discrimination)

Workforce analytics examines people data — such as turnover, engagement, productivity — and links it directly to business outcomes like profitability, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Official Extract:

"Workforce analytics use HR and organizational data to identify patterns and correlations between human capital and business performance outcomes."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Workforce Analytics and HR Metrics)

Under the WARN Act, employees who work fewer than 20 hours per week are considered part-time and are excluded from the 50-employee threshold required to trigger WARN Act notices. Official Extract:"Part-time employees (those who work fewer than 20 hours per week) are excluded when determining whether an employer meets the 100-employee threshold under the WARN Act."(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, WARN Act Compliance)