Q&A Hero

Q: Fred, the vice president of Gallway Co., plans to introduce a retirement plan for all employees. Ron, the operations director, disagrees because the proposed plan would increase the company's costs. Which statement, if true, strengthens Fred's argument? A) Some benefits have become so common that today's employees expect them. B) Benefits packages are more complex than pay structures. C) The employees at Gallway Co. are young adults who prefer cash compensation to benefits. D) Benefits packages do not affect the competitive nature of the labor market. E) The federal government does not have mandatory requirements for specific retirement plans.

Q: Chandler is the owner of a restaurant called KC Kitchen. He decides to increase employee motivation by introducing benefit packages. However, Alivia, the manager, suggests that employees will be more motivated if Chandler increases their actual wages. Which statement, if true, strengthens Alivia's argument? A) Chandler's competitor, Henry, gives many benefits to his employees. B) The state has introduced mandatory requirements for employee benefits. C) Benefit packages are more difficult to understand by employees than pay structures. D) Most of the employees at KC Kitchen belong to the age group that looks forward to pensions. E) Employees do not prefer cash compensation due to higher tax rates.

Q: Which benefits provided by the employer is required by law in the United States? A) paid vacation B) personal leave C) flextime D) Social Security contributions E) retirement savings plan

Q: To increase the likelihood of employees understanding messages about benefits, employers must limit communications.

Q: Employees and job applicants often have a poor idea of what benefits they have and what the market value of their benefits is.

Q: According to the Financial Accounting Standards Board, employers fund retirement benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Q: According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to take care not to discriminate against workers over age 40 in providing pay or benefits.

Q: Cafeteria-style plans increase benefits costs for employers.

Q: The use of wellness programs and consumer-directed health plans in an organization reflects its objective of controlling the cost of health care benefits.

Q: Employees who are parents always need child care and family leave.

Q: According to Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), employees whose contributions are vested meet the requirements to receive a pension at retirement age.

Q: A defined-contribution plan guarantees a specified or fixed level of retirement income.

Q: Employees are most likely to benefit from a flexible spending account if they have predictable health care expenses, such as insurance premiums.

Q: Health maintenance organizations charge patients half the fee for each visit and service.

Q: For an average employee, the most common type of insurance offered as benefits is the pension program.

Q: Employers in the United States are legally required to provide 30 days of paid vacation to both new and existing employees every year.

Q: Benefits provided to domestic partners of employees have the same tax advantages as benefits provided to their spouses.

Q: The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires organizations with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius to provide as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave to qualifying employees.

Q: Under the workers' compensation laws, employees are eligible to receive their regular paychecks in the event of a disability.

Q: Social security benefits increase if a worker earns wages above the exempt amount.

Q: All U.S. employees, including federal, state, and local government employees, are covered under the Old Age, Survivors, Disability, and Health Insurance (OASDHI) program.

Q: The addition of creative benefits packages for employees provides employers a competitive edge in acquiring and retaining talented employees in their organization.

Q: Tax laws generally make benefits unfavorable to employees.

Q: Why is it essential for organizations to communicate the nature and value of benefits to their employees?

Q: Discuss strategies the HR department might use to communicate the type and value of employee benefits.

Q: How do HMOs and PPOs differ from each other and from traditional health care providers?

Q: What are sick leave programs?

Q: What is the importance of benefits as a part of employee compensation?

Q: What are flexible benefit plans? Explain their advantages and disadvantages.

Q: What are family-friendly benefits? Explain the common types of family-friendly benefits.

Q: How are cash balance plans different from defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans?

Q: Discuss the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, including its eligibility requirements, scope of coverage, and effectiveness.

Q: What are the objectives of the unemployment insurance program established by the Social Security Act of 1935? How is this program funded?

Q: Tina, an HR manager, and her staff devote long hours to planning and running a "benefits fair," where employees can view displays and ask questions about the various parts of the company's benefits package. The following week, the marketing manager asks if the effort was worthwhile. Tina says it was. What is the most likely reason for Tina's opinion? A) It lowered the cost of communicating with employees, because now the company doesn't need to use printed media. B) It lowered the cost of providing benefits, because employees know what to sign up for. C) It increased employees' commitment to saving for retirement, so they won't need Social Security. D) It increased employees' happiness and job commitment, so they are more fun to be around. E) It increased employees' commitment and satisfaction, so they contribute more to the company.

Q: David, the HR vice president at Redding Co., evaluates responses from an employee survey at the company's annual benefits presentation. He concludes that many employees are confused about their options for health insurance, and they are often unhappy with the policy they choose. What should David do about this situation? A) accept that it is difficult for employees to understand the value of insurance B) save money by reducing printed messages about health insurance C) downplay the role of health insurance in the benefits package, relative to other benefits D) discontinue health insurance, since it is a source of dissatisfaction E) introduce software that will guide employees to the insurance option for their needs

Q: Which action related to benefits can best give employers an advantage in the labor market? A) teaching employees about the value of their benefits B) limiting benefits to a few simple options C) explaining complex benefits with sophisticated language D) keeping messages about benefits basic and uncreative E) simplifying messages about benefits by delivering them through one medium

Q: What is true of employee benefits? A) Employees have a thorough understanding of what benefits they have and what the market value of these benefits is. B) Employees have a hard time understanding the cost and value of their benefits. C) It is up to employees to determine the cost and value of their benefits. D) Employees, for the most part, are just not interested in their benefits. E) Employers have very limited options for communicating information about benefits.

Q: Organizations must communicate benefits information to employees so that they will A) be motivated to work harder. B) choose the least-expensive benefits package. C) be legally liable in an employee lawsuit. D) be informed of future career opportunities within the organization. E) appreciate the value of their benefits.

Q: What is a requirement set for employers under the Financial Accounting Standards Board standards? A) Employers must fund benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis. B) Benefits must not appear as future cost obligations. C) Employers should encourage employees to participate in management functions. D) Financial statements should be made in such a way that outsiders cannot understand them. E) Employers must set aside the funds they expect to need for benefits to be paid after retirement.

Q: An organization employs Roger, a bilateral amputee, to work as a research analyst. When Lauren, the organization's chief advisor, becomes aware of this, she argues that the organization is going to experience legal challenges. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which statement will strengthen Lauren's argument? A) The organization has a risk-based insurance in place before recruiting Roger. B) The organization plans to stop Roger's benefits when he reaches the age of 50. C) The organization switched to a risk-based policy after hiring Roger. D) The organization gave Roger access to the same health insurance that is provided to the other employees. E) The organization does not have a risk-based insurance.

Q: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which employer is most likely to face legal challenges? A) an employer who switches to a risk-based policy after hiring a disabled employee B) an employer who sets guidelines for using waivers C) an employer who discriminates against workers over age 40 in providing pay or benefits D) an employer who has risk-based insurance and then hires an employee with a disability E) an employer who does not have risk-based insurance

Q: Under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, which guideline must employers follow when asking employees to sign early-retirement waivers? A) inform employees that they may consult with a lawyer before signing B) allow employees no more than 48 hours before signing the retirement agreement C) make Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) waivers compulsory D) provide lesser benefits than would otherwise be available upon retirement E) provide employees with an annual bonus and health insurance after the retirement

Q: What is legally required by an organization while offering early-retirement incentives? A) setting an age at which retirement benefits stop growing B) asking female employees to pay more to defined-benefit plans C) ensuring there is no coercion used to force employees to retire D) asking employees to sign compulsory waiver under ERISA E) providing employees no more than 48 hours to make an early retirement decision

Q: Edgar, a production worker, complains to a human resource professional at his company that when he asked his supervisor for a week off to care for his son after surgery, the supervisor replied, "Can't your wife do that instead?" Which statement best summarizes what the HR professional should explain to the supervisor? A) Benefits apply whether a spouse is of the same or the opposite sex. B) Females may not be required to contribute more than men to defined-benefit plans. C) Fatherhood is a protected category in the antidiscrimination laws. D) Edgar has not yet used all of his sick leave. E) Equal employment opportunity requires that access to benefits not be limited by sex.

Q: In a meeting to discuss pension plans, management decides to offer retirement plans exclusively to the organization's owners and top managers. Jeremy, one of the top managers, disagrees with this decision because he believes the company can benefit more by providing pensions to a broad range of employees. Which statement strengthens Jeremy's belief? A) Nondiscrimination rules provide tax benefits to plans that do not favor the organization's highly compensated employees. B) The ADEA provides more favorable tax treatment of benefits when they are offered to a broad range of employees. C) A top-heavy plan requires faster vesting for non-key employees. D) Extending pension plans to employees at all levels will triple the costs. E) Pension plans are determined exclusively by state and federal laws.

Q: What must be true for a pension plan to be deemed a qualified plan? A) It must not discriminate in favor of an organization's highly compensated employees. B) It must not be a cafeteria-style plan. C) It should include elder care and child care. D) It has to be a defined-contribution plan. E) It has to be a defined-benefit plan that requires most of the funding to come from the employer.

Q: What is an advantage of a qualified plan in retirement benefits? A) immediate tax deductions for the funds employees contribute to the plan B) taxable earnings on the money in the retirement fund C) tax-free withdrawals for highly compensated employees D) exemption of contribution from employees E) a retirement plan that provides benefits exclusively to its owners and top managers

Q: ________ strictly limits the definition of "independent contractors," so that employers cannot avoid legal obligations by classifying workers as self-employed when the organization receives the benefits of a permanent employee. A) The Internal Revenue Service B) The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) C) The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) D) Employee Benefit Research Institute E) The Bureau of Labor Statistics

Q: Which strategy can be legally adopted by organizations looking to restructure the workforce to minimize the expense of benefits? A) using more independent contractors rather than hiring additional employees B) limiting the coverage on life insurance based upon an employee's age C) using more full-time rather than part-time employees D) recruiting new employees instead of demanding overtime from existing employees E) substituting HMO and PPO plans with traditional health insurance plans

Q: Which action helps organizations reduce the cost of health care benefits offered to employees? A) increasing the amount employers pay for deductibles and coinsurance B) selecting traditional health insurance over HMOs and PPOs as a preferred option C) expanding the coverage for different types of claims D) paying some or all of the difference in cost between an HMO or PPO plan E) shifting from traditional health insurance plans to PPOs and CDHPs

Q: QFV International has a goal to lower the cost of employee benefits. Its human resource department compares the costs of its benefits with averages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other sources. The investigation shows that its cost for workers' compensation insurance is high relative to other companies. Which action could best help QFV International accomplish its goal? A) accept the high cost and look for other areas in which to reduce spending B) replace the workers' compensation insurance with disability insurance C) shop for a better deal on workers' compensation insurance D) cancel the workers' compensation insurance E) improve safety to lower the company's experience rating

Q: How do cafeteria-style plans increase costs for employers? A) Employers pay much higher premiums for an HMO than a preferred health care plan. B) Employers are required to pay higher insurance premiums for laid-off workers. C) Contributions to PBGC to fund the retirement plan increases under this plan. D) Employees select the kind of benefits they expect to need the most. E) Employers bear the cost of providing employees with benefits they do not value.

Q: Michael is the CEO of a company that is expanding overseas. He considers introducing a cafeteria-style benefits plan to cater to the company's diverse workforce. However, the HR team brings up the concern of higher expenses involved in this type of benefits. What is Michael likely to do to lower costs at the initial stage? A) opt for communication methods that do not stress the value of each benefit B) avoid standardized plans available for employers opting for cafeteria-style benefits C) use software packages to design the plan D) discourage employees from choosing lower-cost options E) encourage employees to choose benefits they need the most

Q: Jerome is the CEO of a magazine publishing company. He wants to provide benefits for his employees but would still like to control his company's costs. Ashley, the head of the HR department, suggests implementing a cafeteria-style plan. What would be the most likely benefit of Jerome doing so? A) He will save time by using software packages to offer benefits packages. B) He will avoid the cost of providing employees with benefits they don't value. C) Having a non-standardized plan will make Jerome's company seem cutting-edge. D) Employees of the company, including Jerome, will be given more vacation days. E) Costs will be easy to estimate since all benefits options will be taken into consideration.

Q: What is an advantage of cafeteria-style plans? A) Employees do not have to select their individual plans. B) Employees can get a better understanding of the value of benefits provided. C) These types of plans have lower administrative costs. D) Since employees will select the benefits that they need the most, it reduces the overall costs. E) When companies provide cafeteria-style plans, they do not have to pay unemployment insurance tax.

Q: Benefit plans that permit employees to choose the types and amounts of benefits they want from a set of alternatives are called A) preferred provider plans. B) cafeteria-style plans. C) defined-benefit plans. D) flexible spending accounts. E) cash balance plans.

Q: Dino Corp. is a start-up located in Orlando. It offers highly beneficial pension plans to its employees. Which category of employees is the company most likely to attract through its pension benefits? A) women of childbearing age B) disabled workers C) older people D) young people E) unmarried people

Q: Vince, an HR manager, conducts a survey to learn which benefits employees value the most. However, he finds that the survey results are difficult to apply. What is the most likely reason? A) Employees expect to receive benefits that are legally required and widely available. B) Software is the only method employees will accept to help them choose their benefits. C) The costs of turnover at Vince's company are high. D) The employees only value medical insurance. E) Employees have very different opinions about what they value.

Q: Allen, the CEO of a company, considers dropping medical insurance from the list of benefits provided to its employees. Monique, the operations director, disagrees with Allen by stating that medical insurance is a high-value benefit. Which of the following supports Monique's statement? A) Companies that do not provide medical insurance cannot have their retirement plans considered as qualified plans. B) Most employees do not appreciate what health insurance costs the employer. C) Medical insurance plans do not cover mental illness. D) A health insurance rate is higher than a general insurance rate. E) Employees usually realize that surgery or a major illness can be financially devastating.

Q: A logical place to begin selecting employee benefits is to establish ________ for the benefits package. A) a basic hierarchy B) limits C) costs D) goals E) objectives

Q: The employee benefits at Arvin Shine, a high tech firm, includes a basketball team, a gym, and an on-site massage therapist. In what way are these benefits most likely to support the company's business goals? A) by meeting the standards of most U.S. businesses B) by making the workplace more family-friendly C) by protecting the company against charges of employment discrimination D) by complying with legal requirements for benefits E) by helping employees cope with demanding, high-stress jobs

Q: Kevin is the founder of a new start-up company. He hires mostly young employees who are fresh out of college. He finds that most of his employees are willing to develop their knowledge and skills and would like to take courses to improve themselves. This additional knowledge would benefit Kevin's company, so he decides to encourage this behavior. Which program is Kevin most likely to use in order to do so? A) tuition reimbursement program B) employee wellness program C) worker's compensation program D) short-term vesting program E) mature education program

Q: Most organizations offer ________ to encourage learning and attract the kinds of employees who wish to develop their knowledge and skills. A) tuition reimbursement programs B) paid vacations C) pension plans D) quarterly promotions E) medical insurance plans

Q: What is a function of elder care benefits offered by organizations? A) providing direct financial assistance B) providing tax exemptions on medical bills of the dependent elders C) setting up elderly care facilities close to the workplace D) providing information, referrals, and support E) providing vouchers and discounts to help employees access the existing elderly care facilities

Q: Erika is a marketing manager at a local equipment manufacturer. She knows that saving for college for her 5-year-old twin boys is a challenge. Her employer recently implemented a college tuition plan that lets parents and other family members defer taxes on their contributions to the plan. What is the type of plan being implemented? A) 529 savings plan B) 401(k) savings plan C) 207 college tuition plan D) U.S. saving bonds plan E) TD Ameritrade college tuition plan

Q: What is true of child care benefits? A) At the highest level of involvement, organizations provide vouchers or discounts for employees to use at existing child care facilities. B) Companies that provide child care facilities face liability concerns. C) Provision of child care is mandatory under the Family and Medical Leave Act. D) Child care benefits should be limited to provision of leaves to employees. E) Child care benefits must include death benefits for it to be considered as a qualified plan.

Q: DJ is a new father. His company helps DJ by collecting information about the cost and quality of available child care. What is true of the child care benefits provided by DJ's company? A) The child care benefits provided by the company is at the lowest level of involvement. B) The child care benefits provided by the company is at the highest level of involvement. C) According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, the company has not provided DJ with adequate child care benefits. D) According to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the company has exceeded the level of involvement that is permissible. E) The child care benefits provided by the company is a form of a dependent care assistance plan.

Q: Weg Tech depends heavily on its workforce of software engineers, systems analysts, and coders. Which statement best explains why Weg Tech would offer its employees paid maternity and paternity leave? A) Only 13 percent of workers currently have paid family leave. B) Most industrialized nations don't provide this type of employee benefit. C) Management doesn't want exhausted workers in the office. D) These benefits are required by the Family and Medical Leave Act. E) It makes the company more attractive to workers who are in high demand.

Q: What does a summary plan description describe? A) the details of a company's health insurance coverage B) a pension plan's funding, eligibility requirements, and risks C) the amount of Social Security benefits employees are allotted D) the type and duration of disability insurance E) a set of communications, activities, and facilities designed to change health-related behaviors to reduce health risks

Q: A ________ pension plan allows pension benefits for key employees, such as highly paid managers, to exceed a government-specified share of total pension benefits. A) top-heavy B) multiemployer C) special draw rights D) deferred E) defined-contribution

Q: What are vesting rights? A) the ability of retired employees to retain their seniority if they return to work at their former employer B) a government commitment to provide retirement benefits to all U.S. workers C) the designation that retired workers will receive cost-of-living increases as part of their monthly pension checks D) the guarantee that employees in a pension plan will receive a pension at retirement age, regardless of whether they stay with the employer E) the ability of younger workers to move their retirement savings to another account after leaving a specific employer

Q: Justin is a human resource manager at an advertising firm. Justin proposes that the company adopt defined-benefit plans to attract and retain employees. In which situation will this benefit be most valuable to the firm's employees? A) if all the employees are under the age of 30 B) if the nature of work demands college graduates C) if the firm employs experienced, older people D) if the firm employs young and creative minds E) if the firm mainly employs freelancers

Q: Which organizations benefit when switching from a defined-benefit plan to cash balance plans? A) organizations with many experienced employees B) organizations with a few skilled employees C) organizations with many young employees D) organizations with many retired employees E) organizations with highly skilled, young employees

Q: What is true of a cash balance plan? A) All contributions to the plan come from the employee. B) The money earns interest at a predetermined rate, such as the rate paid on U.S. Treasury bills. C) Older employees with many years of service benefit to a greater degree than do younger workers just starting their careers. D) It penalizes employees for changing jobs. E) Employees cannot predict retirement benefits under cash balance plans.

Q: Under a 401(k) plan, the ________ is responsible for choosing specific investments. A) employee B) PBGC C) ERISA fiduciary advisor D) financial institution handling the account E) employer

Q: Evan is the human resource manager of a one-year-old technology company. The founder wants him to set up a retirement plan. Evan thinks the best approach during the company's early years would be a defined-contribution plan funded with profit-sharing dollars. Which statement best supports Evan's idea? A) The plan makes employees part-owners of the company. B) The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation will guarantee a basic benefit. C) Employees can buy an annuity with the contributions when they retire. D) The amount employees contribute is not taxed when they contribute it. E) Contributing a share of profits gives the company more flexibility as it establishes itself.

Q: What is an example of a defined-contribution pension plan? A) consumer-driven pension plan B) money purchase plan C) cost-sharing plan D) flexible spending account plan E) unfunded PBGC plan

Q: Park Production offered employees a defined-benefit retirement plan, in which retirees received benefits calculated on the basis of their age, earnings, and years of service. But the company didn't keep up with technology, and its earnings fell. When the stock market dipped, the company could no longer afford to keep paying for its retirement benefits. What protection will the retirees have in this situation? A) Park Production must give the employees the option to sell their stock in the company. B) The employees will receive payouts from their 401(k) plans. C) The employees will receive a share of profits as part of the company's ESOP. D) Because the plan was underfunded, the retirees will no longer receive benefits. E) The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation will provide them with a basic benefit.

Q: Which federal law increased the responsibility of pension plan trustees to protect retirees? A) the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) B) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) C) the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) D) the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) E) the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

Q: During a meeting to discuss ways to cut costs on benefits packages, the vice president of the company, Ian, suggests getting long-term disability insurance for all employees. Patty, the HR manager, disagrees with him, stating that short-term disability coverage is more advantageous for the company. Which of the following supports Patty's statement? A) Short-term disability coverage is offered by few employers, which leads to a competitive advantage. B) Long-term disability coverage does not have any limits on the amount to be paid each month to employees. C) Short-term disability plans limit maximum coverage in a month, which makes them more affordable for the company. D) The nature of work is such that the level of risk involved is high and injuries could be permanent. E) The majority of the workforce is middle-aged and prefers long-term coverage.