Fire Officer 4

Chapter 7

Knowledge Check

1. The U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act protects against:

extended shifts for employees.

discrimination in the workforce.

high insurance costs for employees.

medical information becoming public.

2. What is the first step in creating an inclusive, diverse workforce?

Evaluating the demographics of the existing workforce

Surveying neighboring jurisdictions regarding their workforce diversity

Determining national, regional, state, and community demographics

Setting up a working task group to determine equitable percentages for groups

3. If a chief officer uses a representative committee for communication between members and management, the committee should:

consist of crew members in their probationary periods.

rotate members annually to obtain different perspectives.

involve members who mirror demographics of the organization as a whole.

involve members who have been with the organization for at least two years.

4. When employees of an organization belong to a labor union, grievances are dealt with:

through a third-party that will be entirely objective.

by bypassing the organization and going directly to union representatives.

through an established process that aims to result in fair and equitable resolutions.

no differently than grievances of non-union employees with the goal of a reasonable resolution.

5. When evaluating incentive programs, chief officers should:

comply with local, state/provincial, and federal regulations.

ensure the programs match any state-wide incentive programs.

avoid changing incentive programs because it will create negative feelings.

use a committee format composed of current and former employees.

6. How do local; state, and federal laws affect negotiations between organization members and management?

Laws can vary widely, so the ability to negotiate about certain issues also varies widely.

Negotiations aren't affected by laws because they are considered a private business transaction.

Laws create a standard process for negotiation so that all negotiations are fair and equitable.

Negotiations are regulated by labor management contracts rather than by any local, state, or federal laws.

7. Which law was enacted by the U.S. Government to prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin?

Davis-Bacon.Act

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Occupational Safety and Health Act

Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA)

8. What should be a chief officer's final goal in workplace diversity/inclusion programs?

Eliminate any workplace conflicts so that all employees are satisfied

Create a workplace demographic that mirrors national demographics

Create a work environment that appreciates and respects diversity of all organization members

Reduce the likelihood of the organization becoming involved in civil litigation regarding employment

9. Succession planning should be developed in conjunction with:

preincident plans and operational budgets.

annual evaluation and departmental reorganization plans.

professional development and continuing education plans.

community development and fire and life safety education plans.

10. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 led to the establishment of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and:

gender equity initiatives.

mandatory leave programs.

workplace health initiatives.

affirmative action programs.

11. In career, industrial, and military organizations, employee incentive programs are:

required byNFPA 1500™.

not as important since members are paid a salary.

included in the compensation package or labor/management agreement.

less beneficial with regard to member retention than they are in volunteer organizations.

12. In the negotiation process, public sector fire and emergency services employees:

have seldom been given the right to strike.

can only strike when temporary employees can fill positions.

can strike but must return if ordered by jurisdiction leadership.

have the same rights to strike as private-sector labor organizations.

13. Which type of incentive program would include retirement plans?

Regulated compensation

Direct monetary incentives

Indirect monetary incentives

Non-monetary compensation

14. What entity in the United States enforces laws that require employers to evaluate all job applicants fairly, without using factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion, or physical disability?

U.S. Labor Commission

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

15. Which is a recommendation for solving communications problems in labor/management negotiations?

Understand the audience

A void using nonverbal signals

Limit the number of questions asked

Keep meetings to a minimum of five individuals

16. Goals established for the training and education of members should:

ensure that all responders are following the same career path.

be voted on by representatives of both the organization and labor group.

mirror the requirements for other departments within the state or province.

meet requirements of relevant statutes, regulations, codes, and standards.

17. What is the purpose of labor/management negotiations?

Ensure that the organization is staffed 100% of the time

Create a statement of understanding between upper management of both parties

Ensure that the organization is staffed to at least 75% capacity the majority of the time

Create a contract between the organization's management and represented employees

18. Inclusiveness in an organization creates a work environment that is based on equal opportunity so that all members:

can be promoted within two years of initial hiring.

have opportunities to reach their full career potential.

have protected jobs and do not worry about lay-offs or termination.

do not feel that they are competing against other members for promotions.

19. Workplace diversity programs should include:

broad goals and objectives.

specific goals and objectives.

benchmarks instead of goals or objectives.

an overall vision statement but no goals or objectives.

20. In contract negotiations, both labor and managemer:f·

should recognize that their demands cannot be unrealistic or their positions unyielding.

must keep any discussions and talks related to contracts, as well as the contract itself, pnvate.

must focus on wages and benefits and then let any other issues be taken care of at a later date.

should start out asking for more than they know is realistic to leave plenty of room for negotiation.

21. When should diversity awareness training take place?

After a disciplinary action

During the annual training cycle

Before an employee is terminated

When diversity issues are in the news

22. What means used to resolve labor/management impasses results in a single individual or panel determining a binding solution?

Strike

Mediation

Arbitration

Fact-finding

23. Awards given as part of an incentive program should be based on:

seniority and job title.

performance and participation.

public comments and days on the job.

demographic and generational membership.

24. When conducting surveys to identify the current organizational culture, the information collected must be:

verified.

anonymous.

made public.

linked to a specific name.

25. What is the basic principle behind the concept of equal employment opportunity (EEO)?

Everyone should have access to opportunities in the workplace

Employers are unable to make the best social choices without guidance

Every employee should be provided the same benefits, regardless of position

Disenfranchised groups should be given greater opportunities than other groups

26. When creating a diversity team or committee the chief officer should try to ensure that the group is:

randomly selected from current personnel.

composed of management and senior personnel.

composed of those who are first willing to volunteer.

representative of the current diversity of the organization.

27. Which would show the internal success of a workplace diversity program?

Reduction in discrimination claims and personnel disputes and conflicts

Reduction in the need for any further workplace diversity training programs

Decrease in the number of incident calls in underrepresented areas of the community

Increased news articles on personnel and community awards given to the organization

28. One of the first steps in a human resources demographics appraisal is to:

hire an outside consultant to provide an objective appraisal for the organization.

understand the composition of the community that provides the available workforce.

determine what demographic make-up the organization would like to have regarding staff.

analyze national demographic information and compare it to community demographic information.

29. What type of indirect incentive is generally automatically included in the employee's contract?

Retirement plan

Employee salary

Service recognition awards

Team-building department social events

30. Recruiting a diverse workforce is important to an organization because it:

reflects the composition of the community.

allows for salaries to be adjusted downward.

helps ensure all positions are continually filled.

reduces response times for minority communities.

Fire Officer 4

Chapter 7

Quick Links

Useful Links