This paper addresses fourteen fundamental human resource management questions, covering topics ranging from line and staff authority to nonpunitive discipline. It explains employment laws such as the ADA, ADEA, and FMLA; distinguishes mission from vision statements; compares functional job analysis with the Department of Labor Procedure; and evaluates recruitment strategies including employee referral campaigns. Additional topics include anti-discrimination interview practices, psychological contracts, performance appraisals, sick leave policy, group incentive plans, the Evil Woman Thesis, and strategies for applying nonpunitive discipline in the workplace.
What type of authority do human resource managers have?
Line authority is a kind of authority exercised over line personnel in an organization. With line authority, a supervisor can give orders to subordinate employees. More importantly, line managers have the responsibility to ensure that their subordinates achieve their goals. Line authority can therefore be described as authority within a chain of command — the type of authority one would expect a direct supervisor to assert (Erven, 2009). Line positions are those involved in day-to-day operations and are occupied by line personnel and line managers; line authority flows down the chain of command.
Staff authority differs from line authority in that staff personnel do not engage in the day-to-day business of the company. Instead, staff personnel engage in support work. Staff authority means that one has the duty to assist, counsel, and advise those with line authority. Staff managers are not part of the direct chain of command, though they do have authority over personnel. The human resource department is part of the staff positions; though not involved in day-to-day production, the human resources department provides vital assistance so that line personnel and managers can perform their jobs. Therefore, human resource managers have staff authority (Avameg, 2007).
Name three types of employment laws and explain the purpose of each one.
One law that impacts the decisions of human resource managers is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA protects disabled individuals from job discrimination. Though not all employers are subject to the ADA's requirements, companies with more than 15 employees must be ADA compliant. Employers must make reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals and may not refuse to hire or promote someone on the basis of a disability. An employer cannot offer different pay scales for protected groups, nor can an employer indirectly discriminate against protected individuals through pre-employment medical examinations or job descriptions that would disadvantage protected individuals (Findlaw, 2008).
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits age-based discrimination against people over the age of 40 in employment, hiring, promotion, and firing decisions. The result is that age — and the seniority that may accompany it, which can mean greater salaries — cannot play a pivotal role in hiring and firing decisions. However, the ADEA does allow employers to establish seniority systems and to consider age if age is a bona fide occupational qualification (Findlaw, 2008).
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows certain workers — generally those considered full-time employees — to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave each year for a variety of health-related reasons, including personal health conditions, caring for family members with serious health conditions, and the birth or adoption of a child (Findlaw, 2008).
Explain the difference between a vision and a mission. Are both necessary for organizations?
A mission describes the company's reason for existence by explaining the nature of its business and its customers. The mission describes the day-to-day operations of the company — not internally, but in terms of how the company interacts with its customers and what it provides to them. A good mission statement describes the positive impact that the company's day-to-day operations have on third parties. It addresses what the business does and why the company is best suited to do it.
A vision, by contrast, describes how the company hopes to impact a group of people by successfully performing its mission. The vision conveys what the company hopes to become and how it hopes to impact the world, and it outlines the strategic direction the company wishes to take.
Organizations need both a vision and a mission statement because they serve two different purposes. The mission statement describes the company's current position, while the vision statement describes where the company wants to go. A company with a combined mission and vision statement is one that has no plans for change and growth. Therefore, a company that wants to evolve should maintain separate vision and mission statements.
How is a functional job analysis different from the Department of Labor Procedure?
A functional job analysis is essentially a job description that: identifies purposes, goals, and objectives; identifies and describes tasks; analyzes those tasks; develops performance standards; and develops training content. A functional job analysis measures work activity and can be broken down into the specific tasks performed as part of the job. It can assist in job design, employee selection, employee training, and job performance evaluation.
"Functional job analysis vs. DOL procedure"
"Recruitment strategies, selection, and interviews"
"Appraisals, incentives, discipline, and harassment"
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