CHRC cheat sheet
CHRC · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Human Resource Management Functions and Strategy
HRM functions: planning, staffing, performance management, compensation, training, employee relations, safety, and HR analytics.
Strategic HR aligns workforce capabilities with organizational goals through SWOT analysis, environmental scanning, and gap analysis.
Human capital theory: investment in employee skills and knowledge increases productivity and organizational value.
HR roles (Ulrich model): strategic partner, administrative expert, employee champion, change agent.
HR metrics include turnover rate = (separations / average headcount) × 100, cost per hire, time to fill, and revenue per employee.
Job analysis produces job descriptions (tasks, duties) and job specifications (knowledge, skills, abilities).
HR planning compares forecasted labor demand with internal supply and identifies gaps to address via hiring, training, or restructuring.
Shared services and HR outsourcing centralize transactional tasks while HR business partners focus on strategic consulting.
Employment Law and Regulatory Compliance
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964) prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; applies to employers with 15+ employees.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers aged 40 and older; applies to employers with 20+ employees.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities; applies to employers with 15+ employees.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees (50+ employees within 75 miles, 12 months tenure, 1,250 hours).
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets minimum wage, overtime (1.5× regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek), child labor rules, and exempt/non-exempt classification.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal anti-discrimination laws; complaints must generally be filed within 180 days of the alleged violation (300 days in states with deferral agencies).
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and to record serious injuries and illnesses.
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects veterans' reemployment rights and prohibits discrimination based on military service.
Recruitment, Selection, and Talent Acquisition
Recruitment sources: internal (promotions, transfers, employee referrals) vs. external (job boards, campus recruiting, social media, agencies).
Yield ratio = number of applicants advancing to next stage / number of applicants at current stage.
Selection validity: criterion-related validity (predictive or concurrent), content validity, and construct validity.
Structured interviews use standardized questions and scoring rubrics; they have higher predictive validity than unstructured interviews.
Realistic job previews (RJPs) provide candidates with accurate information about the job, reducing turnover and improving person-job fit.
Assessment centers use multiple exercises (in-basket, role-play, group discussion) to evaluate managerial competencies.
Adverse impact analysis uses the four-fifths rule: selection rate for a protected group should be at least 80% of the rate for the highest-selected group.
Talent acquisition metrics: time to fill, cost per hire, offer acceptance rate, source effectiveness, and quality of hire.
Compensation and Benefits Administration
Job evaluation methods: ranking, classification, point-factor, and factor comparison; point-factor is most common for determining internal equity.
Pay grade and pay range structure: range spread = (maximum − minimum) / minimum × 100; midpoint progression between grades typically 10–15%.
Compa-ratio = actual salary / midpoint of pay range; values below 0.8 or above 1.2 may indicate equity issues.
FLSA exempt employees are paid on a salary basis and perform executive, administrative, or professional duties; non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime.
Benefits required by law: Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and FMLA leave.
Defined benefit plans promise a specific retirement benefit; defined contribution plans (e.g., 401(k)) specify employer contributions but not retirement income.
ERISA governs private-sector retirement and welfare benefit plans, setting fiduciary, reporting, and disclosure requirements.
Total rewards include compensation, benefits, work-life balance, performance recognition, and development opportunities.
Employee Training and Development
Training needs analysis (TNA) has three levels: organizational, task, and person analysis.
Learning objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model: reaction, learning, behavior, and results.
Adult learning principles (Knowles): adults need relevance, problem-centered learning, self-direction, and immediate application.
ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation.
On-the-job training methods include job rotation, coaching, mentoring, apprenticeships, and job instruction training.
Transfer of training is supported by supervisory support, opportunity to practice, and alignment with performance goals.
Return on investment (ROI) for training = (benefits − costs) / costs × 100.
Employee and Labor Relations
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects employees' rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activity; enforced by the NLRB.
Union certification requires a secret-ballot election won by a majority of votes cast; voluntary recognition is also possible.
Collective bargaining subjects: mandatory (wages, hours, working conditions), permissive (other matters), and illegal (e.g., closed shop).
Grievance procedure typically follows steps: supervisor, HR/plant manager, arbitration; arbitration decisions are usually binding.
Progressive discipline steps: verbal warning, written warning, suspension, termination; documentation at each step.
Just cause standard for discipline: notice, reasonable rule, investigation, fair and consistent treatment, and progressive penalties.
Employee engagement is influenced by job resources, supervisory support, recognition, and perceived organizational justice.
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods: mediation (facilitated negotiation), arbitration (third-party decision), and peer review.
Workplace Safety, Health, and Risk Management
OSHA General Duty Clause requires employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Recordkeeping: employers with 11+ employees must maintain OSHA 300 log of work-related injuries and illnesses; 300A summary must be posted February 1–April 30.
Workers' compensation is a no-fault insurance system covering medical costs and lost wages for work-related injuries; benefits vary by state.
Hazard communication (HazCom) standard requires labeling, safety data sheets (SDS), and employee training on chemical hazards.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be provided at no cost to employees and used when engineering and administrative controls are insufficient.
Emergency Action Plan (EAP) elements: evacuation routes, alarm systems, designated wardens, and training/drills.
Risk management process: identify risks, assess likelihood and impact, control (avoid, reduce, transfer, retain), and monitor.
Workplace violence prevention includes threat assessment teams, zero-tolerance policies, and security measures.
HR Information Systems and Metrics
HRIS functions: data management, payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance, reporting, and compliance.
Data security controls: role-based access, encryption, audit trails, and regular backups to protect employee data.
Key HR metrics: turnover rate, absenteeism rate, cost per hire, time to fill, training hours per employee, and revenue per FTE.
Turnover rate calculation: (number of separations during period / average number of employees) × 100.
Absenteeism rate = (total absent hours / total scheduled work hours) × 100.
HR analytics maturity levels: descriptive (what happened), diagnostic (why), predictive (what will happen), prescriptive (what to do).
Data integrity requires consistent definitions, validation rules, and regular audits of HRIS records.
Dashboards and scorecards translate HR metrics into actionable insights for management.
Ethics, Professionalism, and Counseling Practice
HR professional codes of ethics (e.g., SHRM) emphasize fairness, confidentiality, integrity, and professional responsibility.
Confidentiality: employee personal information should be shared only on a need-to-know basis, except where legal reporting is required.
Conflict of interest: HR professionals must avoid situations where personal interests could influence organizational decisions.
Employee assistance programs (EAPs) provide confidential counseling and referral services for personal and work-related problems.
Progressive counseling: identify performance issue, discuss causes, set improvement goals, document, and follow up.
Ethical decision-making frameworks: utilitarian (greatest good), rights-based (respect individual rights), and justice-based (fairness).
Whistleblower protections: laws such as the False Claims Act and Sarbanes-Oxley protect employees who report illegal activities.
Professional development for HR includes maintaining certifications (e.g., SHRM-CP/SCP, HRCI PHR/SPHR) and continuing education.