IPMA-SCP Study Guide question with
answers
Broadbanding - -The practice of using fewer pay grades with much broader ranges than in traditional
compensation systems. Main advantage is more consistent with flattening of organizational levels and
growing jobs that are multidimensional. Problem is employees expect a promotion to come with a pay
raise and movement to a new pay. By not having this employees will feel there is no room for promotion
opportunities. Most companies use traditional pay grades.
-Coaches - -Observe and feedback is given to immediate supervisors. It is the continual process of
learning by doing. Group coaching on leadership can help create high-performance teams. Outside help
can come in for executive coaching.
Observation with suggestions.
-Counseling - -Heighten employee awareness of organizational policies and rules. Being made aware of
rules, and knowledge of possible disciplinary actions may prevent violations.
-Adverse Selection - -Certain employees select and use certain benefits. Example: employees with
younger children are more likely to enroll in orthodontic coverage.
-Assessment Center - -Assessment exercise composed of a series of evaluative tests used for selection
and development. Tests and exercises must reflect the content of the job for which individuals are being
screened, the types of problems faced on that job.
-Bargaining Unit - -Employees eligible to select a single union to represent and bargain collectively for
them. NLRA excludes supervisors from voting or joining. Cannot be be included, however who qualifies
as a supervisor is not always clear.
-Collective Bargaining - -Process where representatives of management and workers negotiate over
wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.
-Management Rights - -Rights reserved so that the employer can manage, direct and control it's
business, even with a labor contract.
-Behavioral Interview - -Applicants give specific examples of how they have performed a certain task or
handled a problem in the past.
-Situational Interview - -Structured interview that contains questions about how applicants might
handle specific job situations.
-Stress Interview - -Designed to create anxiety and put pressure on applicants to see how they respond.
-Benchmarking - -Comparing the business results to the industry. Comparing business metrics to an
industry standard or best practice. Best determined by measures on a year to year basis.
, -Performance Standards - -Can be viewed as objective or subjective. Objective example: number of
items sold. Subjective example: requires judgement on the part of the evaluator and is more difficult to
determine. I.E. Employees attitude. Indicators of what the job accomplishes and how performance is
measured in key areas of the job.
-Disparate Treatment - -Occurs when members of a group are treated differently than others.
-Disparate Impact - -Occurs when members of a protected category are substantially underrepresented
as a result of employment decisions that work to their advantage.
-Benefits - -Indirect reward given to an employee or group of employees as part of membership in their
organization. Inflation rates causes employees rates to go up. Benefits is a huge factor when someone is
deciding whether to join or remain at an organization.
-Flexible Benefit Plans - -Allows employees to select the benefits they prefer from groups of benefits
established by the employer.
-Benefit Statements - -Help employee see the "hidden paycheck" or the value of their benefits. Shows
the true package of rewards offered by an employer.
-Cafeteria Benefit Plan - -Employees are given a budget and can purchase a bundle of benefits most
important to them from the "menu" of options offered by the employer.
-Worker's Comp - -Funded by employer, no loss of benefits to employee.
-RetirementPlan - -Established and funded by employer and employee.
-Defined Benefit Plan - -Retirement program in which employees are promised a pension amount based
on age and years of service.
-Defined Contribution Plan - -Employer makes annual payment to an employees pension account.
-401(k) - -Extra savings for retirement/tax deferred.
-COBRA - -Extended coverage for employees that quit, fired, retirees, windows/spouses of employees,
any child adopted or born to a covered employee.
-Age Discrimination Act - -1967, amended in 1978 and 1986
-Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII - -Illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex or national
origin.
-Civil Rights Act of 1991 - -Requires employers to show that an employee practice is job related for the
position and consistent with business necessity.
-EEO - -Makes sure employers make status-blind decisions. Decisions based on nothing more than job
requirements and qualifications.
answers
Broadbanding - -The practice of using fewer pay grades with much broader ranges than in traditional
compensation systems. Main advantage is more consistent with flattening of organizational levels and
growing jobs that are multidimensional. Problem is employees expect a promotion to come with a pay
raise and movement to a new pay. By not having this employees will feel there is no room for promotion
opportunities. Most companies use traditional pay grades.
-Coaches - -Observe and feedback is given to immediate supervisors. It is the continual process of
learning by doing. Group coaching on leadership can help create high-performance teams. Outside help
can come in for executive coaching.
Observation with suggestions.
-Counseling - -Heighten employee awareness of organizational policies and rules. Being made aware of
rules, and knowledge of possible disciplinary actions may prevent violations.
-Adverse Selection - -Certain employees select and use certain benefits. Example: employees with
younger children are more likely to enroll in orthodontic coverage.
-Assessment Center - -Assessment exercise composed of a series of evaluative tests used for selection
and development. Tests and exercises must reflect the content of the job for which individuals are being
screened, the types of problems faced on that job.
-Bargaining Unit - -Employees eligible to select a single union to represent and bargain collectively for
them. NLRA excludes supervisors from voting or joining. Cannot be be included, however who qualifies
as a supervisor is not always clear.
-Collective Bargaining - -Process where representatives of management and workers negotiate over
wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.
-Management Rights - -Rights reserved so that the employer can manage, direct and control it's
business, even with a labor contract.
-Behavioral Interview - -Applicants give specific examples of how they have performed a certain task or
handled a problem in the past.
-Situational Interview - -Structured interview that contains questions about how applicants might
handle specific job situations.
-Stress Interview - -Designed to create anxiety and put pressure on applicants to see how they respond.
-Benchmarking - -Comparing the business results to the industry. Comparing business metrics to an
industry standard or best practice. Best determined by measures on a year to year basis.
, -Performance Standards - -Can be viewed as objective or subjective. Objective example: number of
items sold. Subjective example: requires judgement on the part of the evaluator and is more difficult to
determine. I.E. Employees attitude. Indicators of what the job accomplishes and how performance is
measured in key areas of the job.
-Disparate Treatment - -Occurs when members of a group are treated differently than others.
-Disparate Impact - -Occurs when members of a protected category are substantially underrepresented
as a result of employment decisions that work to their advantage.
-Benefits - -Indirect reward given to an employee or group of employees as part of membership in their
organization. Inflation rates causes employees rates to go up. Benefits is a huge factor when someone is
deciding whether to join or remain at an organization.
-Flexible Benefit Plans - -Allows employees to select the benefits they prefer from groups of benefits
established by the employer.
-Benefit Statements - -Help employee see the "hidden paycheck" or the value of their benefits. Shows
the true package of rewards offered by an employer.
-Cafeteria Benefit Plan - -Employees are given a budget and can purchase a bundle of benefits most
important to them from the "menu" of options offered by the employer.
-Worker's Comp - -Funded by employer, no loss of benefits to employee.
-RetirementPlan - -Established and funded by employer and employee.
-Defined Benefit Plan - -Retirement program in which employees are promised a pension amount based
on age and years of service.
-Defined Contribution Plan - -Employer makes annual payment to an employees pension account.
-401(k) - -Extra savings for retirement/tax deferred.
-COBRA - -Extended coverage for employees that quit, fired, retirees, windows/spouses of employees,
any child adopted or born to a covered employee.
-Age Discrimination Act - -1967, amended in 1978 and 1986
-Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII - -Illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex or national
origin.
-Civil Rights Act of 1991 - -Requires employers to show that an employee practice is job related for the
position and consistent with business necessity.
-EEO - -Makes sure employers make status-blind decisions. Decisions based on nothing more than job
requirements and qualifications.
