HRCI PHR Professional in HR Practice Test

Professional in Human Resources (PHR) is the HRCI route for operational HR professionals who apply employment-law, employee-relations, talent, compensation, and HR operations judgment.

Start with these 12 original sample questions for PHR self-assessment. Use the Notify me form if this is the route you want next.

What PHR practice should test

• applying U.S. HR policy and compliance concepts to workplace scenarios
• identifying when documentation, investigation, accommodation, or escalation is required
• choosing consistent HR action instead of the fastest manager-friendly option
• balancing employee, manager, legal, and organizational considerations

Sample Exam Questions

Try these 12 original PHR sample questions for self-assessment. They are not official HRCI questions and do not claim to reproduce the live exam.

Question 1

Topic: Employee relations investigation

An employee reports that a supervisor repeatedly makes age-related jokes during team meetings. The supervisor says the jokes are harmless. What should HR do first?

• A. Document the complaint, explain the process, and conduct a prompt, impartial review under the organization’s policy.
• B. Tell the employee to speak directly with the supervisor before HR gets involved.
• C. Move the employee to another team immediately.
• D. Warn the supervisor that discipline is certain.

Best answer: A

Explanation: PHR scenarios often test operational compliance judgment. HR should not dismiss the concern or decide the outcome before reviewing facts. A prompt, documented, impartial process protects employees, the organization, and the integrity of the policy.

Question 2

Topic: Accommodation process

A manager says an employee’s intermittent medical absences are disrupting workflow and asks HR to terminate the employee for attendance problems. What is the best HR response?

• A. Approve termination because attendance is essential.
• B. Tell the manager to ignore all absences involving medical issues.
• C. Ask coworkers to cover the absences permanently.
• D. Review protected leave, accommodation, attendance records, and business impact before any discipline decision.

Best answer: D

Explanation: A strong PHR answer separates ordinary attendance discipline from protected leave or accommodation issues. HR should review documentation, applicable leave rules, reasonable accommodation possibilities, and operational needs before recommending action. Automatic termination is risky and incomplete.

Question 3

Topic: Selection consistency

A manager wants to reject an internal applicant because the employee “has not been loyal enough,” even though the employee meets the stated qualifications. What should HR emphasize?

• A. Use job-related qualifications, interview evidence, and documented selection criteria.
• B. Let the manager decide because loyalty is a valid selection factor.
• C. Reject all internal applicants to avoid perceived favoritism.
• D. Require the employee to withdraw the application.

Best answer: A

Explanation: PHR practice rewards consistent selection processes based on job-related evidence. Vague loyalty concerns can create fairness and discrimination risk if not tied to documented performance or role requirements. HR should keep the process defensible.

Question 4

Topic: Compensation and classification

A salaried employee asks why they are not paid overtime. Their title is “coordinator,” but their duties include routine processing with limited discretion. What should HR review?

• A. Whether the employee agreed to a salary when hired.
• B. Whether the manager wants the employee to stay exempt.
• C. Actual job duties, salary basis, and applicable exempt/nonexempt criteria.
• D. Whether other coordinators are paid the same way.

Best answer: C

Explanation: Classification depends on duties and legal criteria, not title or preference. PHR candidates should recognize that a salary alone does not settle overtime eligibility. HR should review the role against the applicable tests and correct issues if needed.

Question 5

Topic: Corrective action

A manager wants to issue a final warning to an employee for a first minor policy violation. Similar past violations by others were handled with coaching. What should HR recommend?

• A. Support the final warning because managers need flexibility.
• B. Ignore the violation because it is minor.
• C. Ask the employee to resign to avoid documentation.
• D. Apply the corrective-action process consistently and consider prior practice before escalating discipline.

Best answer: D

Explanation: PHR scenarios often test consistency. A discipline level that is much harsher than prior similar cases can create fairness and legal exposure. HR should consider policy, severity, precedent, documentation, and whether coaching is the appropriate first step.

Question 6

Topic: HR metrics

Turnover is highest among employees hired within the last six months. What is the best next analysis?

• A. Compare total turnover against last year’s companywide rate only.
• B. Review turnover by source, role, manager, onboarding experience, and early performance expectations.
• C. Stop hiring until turnover declines.
• D. Increase recruiting volume to replace leavers faster.

Best answer: B

Explanation: Early turnover usually requires a deeper operational review. Recruiting source, role expectations, manager behavior, onboarding, and selection criteria may all contribute. A PHR-level response connects data to practical HR process improvements.

Question 7

Topic: Leave administration

An employee submits incomplete leave paperwork but tells HR the deadline is difficult because they are hospitalized. What should HR do?

• A. Follow the leave process, provide required notices or extensions when appropriate, and document communications.
• B. Deny leave immediately because the paperwork is incomplete.
• C. Approve unlimited leave without documentation.
• D. Ask the manager to decide whether the employee deserves an extension.

Best answer: A

Explanation: HR should administer leave consistently while recognizing circumstances that may require additional notice, time, or documentation steps under policy and applicable law. The key is process, communication, and documentation rather than automatic approval or denial.

Question 8

Topic: Total rewards communication

Employees are confused about a new bonus plan. Managers are giving different explanations of eligibility. What should HR do?

• A. Let managers explain the plan in their own style.
• B. Stop the bonus plan until every employee understands it.
• C. Provide consistent written guidance, manager talking points, and a channel for eligibility questions.
• D. Tell employees bonus decisions are confidential and cannot be discussed.

Best answer: C

Explanation: Compensation communication should be clear, consistent, and aligned with plan rules. HR should not allow managers to create inconsistent eligibility interpretations. Written guidance and a question channel reduce confusion and risk.

Question 9

Topic: Workplace safety and retaliation

An employee reports a safety hazard. Two days later, the manager removes the employee from a preferred assignment and says the employee is “not a team player.” What should HR do?

• A. Accept the manager’s explanation because assignments are management rights.
• B. Move the employee permanently to avoid conflict.
• C. Tell the employee not to report hazards in the future.
• D. Review the assignment change, safety report, timing, documentation, and possible retaliation risk.

Best answer: D

Explanation: The timing and language create a potential retaliation issue. HR should review facts and documentation rather than assume the assignment change is legitimate. PHR items often test whether candidates notice retaliation risk after protected or policy-related reports.

Question 10

Topic: HR business support

A department asks HR to approve a new shift schedule that reduces overtime but creates coverage gaps for customer service. What should HR do?

• A. Approve the schedule because it saves labor cost.
• B. Evaluate labor-cost savings alongside service coverage, employee impact, scheduling rules, and compliance constraints.
• C. Reject the schedule because any coverage gap is unacceptable.
• D. Ask employees to vote on the schedule.

Best answer: B

Explanation: Operational HR judgment balances business need, compliance, employee impact, and service requirements. A cost-only answer is incomplete, but rejecting the idea without analysis is also weak. PHR questions often require practical tradeoff analysis.

Question 11

Topic: Policy application

An employee violates the social-media policy by posting confidential client information. The employee says they did not know the policy applied outside work hours. What should HR consider first?

• A. The employee’s personal social-media rights only.
• B. The policy language, training records, severity of the disclosure, investigation facts, and consistent discipline practice.
• C. Whether the post received many comments.
• D. Whether the employee is popular with the team.

Best answer: B

Explanation: HR should review policy scope, communication, facts, severity, confidentiality obligations, and consistency. The off-hours context may matter, but confidential client information raises serious risk. The best answer uses structured review rather than a single emotional factor.

Question 12

Topic: Employee development

Performance reviews show that many first-time supervisors struggle with documentation and feedback conversations. What should HR recommend?

• A. Replace supervisors who receive low scores.
• B. Stop using performance reviews until managers improve.
• C. Create targeted manager training, tools, and follow-up coaching tied to the documented gaps.
• D. Ask employees to provide feedback directly to supervisors without HR involvement.

Best answer: C

Explanation: The data points to a capability gap. HR should design practical development support: training, job aids, coaching, and follow-up measures. PHR candidates should connect review data to operational improvement, not just discipline supervisors.

PHR quick checklist

• Look for the compliance or employee-relations process before choosing a fast business answer.
• Do not rely on job titles, manager preference, or informal precedent when documentation and policy matter.
• Prefer consistent, documented action that balances employee rights, manager needs, and organizational risk.
• Escalate sensitive issues such as accommodation, leave, harassment, retaliation, and wage-and-hour classification.

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Related HRCI pages

• aPHR
• SPHR
• HRCI certification updates