PHRca study guide
PHRca · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Professional in Human Resources – California (PHRca) is a state-specific credential for HR practitioners whose work is governed by California's unusually dense web of employment rules. It is aimed at HR professionals with hands-on responsibility for California employees - generalists, HR managers, recruiters, and operations or compliance staff who must translate statutes, wage orders, and agency guidance into daily practice. The PHRca study guide has 7 sections and about 2,435 words.
01California Employment Law and Compliance
California employers operate under a stacked regime: federal law sets a floor and the Labor Code, IWC Wage Orders, and FEHA generally raise it. When a question offers a federal rule and a California rule, ask which is more protective - for California employers, the state rule governs.
370 words, about 2 min02Leaves of Absence, Accommodation, and Risk Management
Leave and accommodation items reward a step-by-step habit: identify the reason for the absence, test eligibility under each law, then sequence the laws rather than stacking them all at once. FMLA and CFRA run concurrently: 12 weeks, 1,250 hours worked in the prior 12 months, and 12 months of service (FMLA adds a 50-employee/75-mile test; CFRA now reaches employers with 5 or more).
347 words, about 2 min03Compensation and Benefits
Compensation items test precision about what enters the regular rate and which pay obligations are statutory rather than contractual. Start with exemption: California requires the salary-basis test, the duties test, and a salary of at least twice the state minimum wage.
345 words, about 2 min04Employee and Labor Relations
Employee and labor relations items separate union and non-union settings less than candidates expect. Section 7 of the NLRA protects concerted activity for union and non-union employees alike, including discussing wages and working conditions.
328 words, about 2 min05Recruitment, Selection, and Retention
Recruitment and selection items usually turn on what may be asked, when it may be asked, and how selection decisions are validated. Build from job analysis.
338 words, about 2 min06Health, Safety, and Security
Safety items cluster around four California-specific programs that candidates routinely under-prepare: the IIPP, heat illness prevention, workplace violence prevention, and workers' compensation. Every California employer, regardless of size or industry, must maintain a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program under Title 8 Section 3203, with defined responsibilities, a system for identifying hazards, prompt correction of hazards, training, and communication with employees.
347 words, about 2 min07Human Resource Development and HR Administration
HR development and administration items test process literacy: how training is designed and evaluated, how performance is managed and documented, and how long records are kept. Training design begins with a needs assessment and typically follows ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate).
360 words, about 2 min