PHR Sample Questions Answers

Standard deviation measures the amount of variability or dispersion in a set of scores or ratings. In selection assessments, it helps determine how spread out the ratings are and identifies consistency issues.

Official Extract:

"Standard deviation measures the spread of data points from the mean, providing insight into the consistency of selection ratings and assessment scores."

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

A Total Rewards Statement provides a full summary of an organization’s financial and non-financial investments in employees, including salary, bonuses, benefits, retirement contributions, and more — not just base pay.

Official Extract:

"Total rewards statements consolidate compensation, benefits, and other forms of value to communicate the complete employment value proposition to employees."

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

FMLA applies only to employers with 50 or more employees (full-time or part-time) within a 75-mile radius. Here, the organization has fewer than 50 total employees, so it is not covered by FMLA.

Official Extract:

"FMLA eligibility requires that the employer has 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius."

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

From your table:

Group

Passed

Total Applicants

Selection Rate

African Americans

30

80

30 ÷ 80 = 37.5%

Whites

15

30

15 ÷ 30 = 50%

Hispanics

5

25

5 ÷ 25 = 20%

Total

50

135

Highest selection rate: 50% (Whites)

Now apply the 4/5ths Rule:

80% × 50% = 40%

Minimum acceptable selection rate = 40%.

Now compare:

African Americans: 37.5% (below 40%) → Possible adverse impact

Hispanics: 20% ❌ (way below 40%) → Definite adverse impact

Whites: 50% → No issue.

Adverse impact is against Hispanics (not African Americans, not Whites, not Females).

Under FMLA guidelines, if an employee's absences differ substantially from the medical certification, the employer has the right to request an updated certification to confirm the need for continued leave.

Official Extract:

"An employer may request recertification if the frequency or duration of absences significantly differs from the original certification. Employers must follow FMLA procedures carefully to avoid claims of interference or retaliation."

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

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)

Maintaining consistent post-employment documentation is critical to flag performance issues and ensure hiring managers have accurate information about former employees' work history during the rehire process.

Official Extract:

"Accurate and consistent post-employment records are necessary to make informed rehire decisions and avoid repeating past employment mistakes."

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

Under progressive discipline systems, an employee’s prior disciplinary history for similar misconduct is the most critical factor in determining the next step in the disciplinary process.

Official Extract:

"In progressive discipline systems, prior infractions and the severity of previous offenses determine the level of current disciplinary action."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Progressive Discipline Policies)

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)

Under USERRA, employers must continue offering health coverage at the same cost as active employees for up to 24 months during military service.

Official Extract:

"Employers must maintain health coverage for employees on military leave at the same contribution rates as if the employee had remained actively employed."

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

Clearly clarifying work expectations is fundamental for new supervisors to set the tone for performance, accountability, and trust-building with their teams. Employees are more engaged when they understand their roles and how they contribute to organizational goals.

Official Extract:

"Effective performance management begins with clear communication of performance standards and job expectations, creating transparency and strengthening employee-supervisor relationships."

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

Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), unionized employees have the right to request union representation (Weingarten Rights) during investigatory interviews that could lead to discipline.

Official Extract:

"Employees represented by a union have the right to request union representation during interviews that may result in disciplinary action (Weingarten Rights)."

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

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)

The appropriate first step is to engage in an interactive process to evaluate the request under ADA standards, which includes investigating the necessity of the emotional support animal and reviewing documentation. Employers must balance accommodation requests with business needs.

Official Extract:

"Requests for accommodations, such as emotional support animals, require an individualized assessment and an interactive process to evaluate the need and reasonableness."

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

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)

Including at-will employment language in offer letters limits legal liability by clearly stating that employment can be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause, preventing misunderstandings about job security.

Official Extract:

"Including at-will disclaimers in employment communications limits liability by clarifying that no implied promises of continued employment exist."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Employee and Labor Relations Section, Employment-at-Will Doctrine)

This question refers to the 4/5ths Rule (or 80% Rule) from the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP).

It states that a selection rate for any protected group should be at least 80% (or 4/5) of the rate for the group with the highest selection rate.

Official Extract:

"The 4/5ths Rule (80% Rule) indicates adverse impact if the selection rate for a protected group is less than 80% of the rate for the most selected group."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Adverse Impact Analysis)

An effective onboarding program significantly improves employee retention by helping employees acclimate to the organization and feel supported early in their tenure. Lower turnover (attrition) directly saves costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training replacements.

Official Extract:

"Effective onboarding programs help reduce early turnover, increase employee engagement, and save costs associated with replacing employees who leave prematurely."

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

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 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)

A job analysis is a foundational HR tool used to identify the essential duties, responsibilities, and skills required for a specific role. It precedes the creation of job descriptions and competency models.

Official Extract:

"Job analysis systematically collects information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Talent Planning and Acquisition Section, Job Analysis and Design)

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)

Alternative work arrangements include nontraditional scheduling options like job sharing, compressed workweeks, and telecommuting, giving employees more flexibility while meeting organizational needs.

Official Extract:

"Alternative work arrangements offer flexibility in scheduling and work location to attract and retain diverse workforce needs."

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

Effective workforce planning is a dynamic, ongoing process. Regular reviews allow organizations to adapt to changes in talent supply, business strategy, and external market conditions.

Official Extract:

"Workforce planning should be a continuous process aligned with organizational strategy to anticipate and respond to workforce needs proactively."

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

Succession planning identifies potential future leaders and highlights training and development needs to prepare employees for advancement opportunities, ensuring leadership continuity.

Official Extract:

"Succession plans inform training and development initiatives by identifying gaps in skills and competencies needed for future leadership roles."

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

Supervisors may lawfully state the organization's position on unionization, but they cannot threaten, interrogate, promise, or spy (T-I-P-S) on employees during union organizing efforts.

Official Extract:

"Supervisors may communicate factual information and express opinions about unionization without violating employees' rights under the NLRA, provided they avoid coercion, threats, or interrogation."

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

Telling an employee that they would not benefit due to their level could discourage participation or retaliate against unionized workers, potentially violating the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protections against coercive practices.

Official Extract:

"Employers must avoid actions or statements that interfere with employees' protected rights, including discouraging participation in development programs based on union affiliation or status."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Learning and Development Section, Labor Relations and Training)

Password complexity ensures strong passwords that are harder to guess or hack. Multi-factor authentication adds a second layer of security, verifying user identity beyond just passwords — both are best practices for HRIS protection.

Official Extract:

"Best practices for HRIS security include enforcing strong password policies, implementing multi-factor authentication, and limiting access to authorized users only."

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

Offering different severance benefits based on protected categories (like gender) could create a disparate impact claim. The organization should analyze and compare the severance offerings to ensure they do not unintentionally discriminate.

Official Extract:

"Employers must evaluate severance programs for potential disparate impact on protected groups and correct inequities to avoid discrimination claims."

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

If an HR audit reveals noncompliance or gaps but management fails to act, it increases liability because it demonstrates knowledge of the issue without corrective action — a legal risk under employment laws like Title VII, FLSA, etc.

Official Extract:

"An HR audit identifies risks. Failure to remedy findings may lead to claims of negligent employment practices, compounding liability."

(Source: HRCI PHR Content Outline 2024–2025, Business Management Section, Risk and Compliance Management)

A successful RIF (reduction in force) process prioritizes sustaining employee morale and ensuring the ongoing operation of the business. Without maintaining morale, productivity, and trust suffer badly.

Official Extract:

"Effective RIF management requires careful planning to ensure business continuity and address the morale and engagement of retained employees."

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