Workplace Human Rights Quiz
   
 
Today is:  Fri, 03 - Sep, 2010: 
This day in 2002...
Mukhtar Mai uses compensation money after vicious attack to establish schools  Read More...

On June 22, 2002, a 13-year-old boy named Abdul Shakoor was abducted from his home in Pakistan due to allegations from members of the Mastoi tribe that he had had sex with one of their girls. As punishment, three of the men sodomized Shakoor. When his family came to his rescue, they agreed to settle the matter by having Shakoor marry the girl and by his sister Mukhtar Mai apologizing to the family of the girls. But that night, Abdul Khaliq and three other men raped Shakoor's sister Mai as a form of justice. A week later, her local Muslim imam, Abdul Razzaq, condemned the rape and urged the family to file charges, which they did on June 30. Not only did her story get headlines in Pakistan, but BBC and Time magazine covered it as well. Pakistan's chief justice called the rape heinous and in early July, the Pakistan government awarded Mai 500,000 rupees. On September 2, the four rapists and two council members of the tribe were convicted and sentenced to death by an anti-terrorist court. Satisfied with the judgment, on September 3, 2002, Mai decided to use her compensation money to establish schools for girls. In a matter of years, the Mukhtar Mai Women's Welfare Organization has created not only several schools, but also an ambulance service and a women's aid group. Mai has since spoken throughout the world and published extensively. She has received awards from her own government and from other organizations. In 2005, Glamour magazine named Mai "Woman of the Year." Although the Pakistan government was initially supportive of Mai's efforts, it has since harrassed her and her family due to discomfort over the international attention. Meanwhile, violence against women and "honour justice" continues in many parts of the country, and the legal appeals of her rapists continue.

Workplace Human Rights Quiz

Find out how you and your workplace add up in providing a setting that respects the human rights of employees and customers. This quiz is written from the perspective of a supervisor or manager. However, anyone can find out how you and your workplace add up. It also involves some examples of a specific workplace, so you'll have to decide what you would do if you were in those circumstances.

To get a true reading of this complex issue and how you or your organization fits into workplace human rights, don't try to beat the quiz, try to answer it accurately and honestly. You may be surprised by either a positive or negative result.

This quiz may take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Please click on the realistic answer for your situation

1. You have a Harassment policy that includes all forms of protections under the law (such as Harassment based on race, religion, age, etc.), not just sexual Harassment.
  Sexual Harassment only or working on other protections
Yes
No policy

2. Bob has applied for a job and has all the qualifications you need on his resumé. When he turns up, you immediately become aware of a condition that limits his ability to move around easily and you find out he'll need assistance lifting and moving items. The job is not physically demanding, but Bob would either need the assistance of another employee a few times a day, or you'd have to shift 10% of his job responsibilities to another employee. Realistically you:
  Give thought as to whether this would make sense
Put Bob on the "rejected" pile as there are other qualified candidates without his limitations
Put Bob on your short list with other qualified applicants

3. In addition to advertising for jobs, your employee referral program is your best way of recruiting new employees (you pay employees $500 when a referral stays employed for more than 6 months). However, you realize that your employees are not representative of the diverse clientele you serve. Realistically, you:
  Discuss with employees the need to better reflect your customer base
Keep the employee referral program as your main source of recruitment
Keep your employee referral program and also begin actively advertising in community newspapers with ethnically specific readers

4. When you have a new idea, project, proposal, strategy or product and want to put together a competent team, realistically you:
  Actively attempt to get gender and ethnic representation
Don't consider gender and ethnicity at all
Look for a diverse make-up only when new ideas directly affect gender and/or ethnic differences

5. Emile makes a formal complaint of discrimination against fellow employee, Indra. Emile is a great employee, has always been credible and you have no reason to doubt his word. When you approach Indra to resolve the problem, realistically you:
  Give her pertinent information about the complaint, including Emile's name, and ask for her side
Give her general information, without using Emile's name and ask for her side
Tell her you can't give any details about a complaint, but here are a number of behavioral changes you expect to see in the future

6. In the company lunchroom a group of all male employees are roaring with laughter. Gavin is telling a graphic story about his son's stag where a stripper came in and started "crossing the line" with the groom-to-be. Gavin thought it was hilarious and warned his son not to tell his future bride. You are at least 25 feet away and you can hear a good portion of this story. As a supervisor, realistically, you:
  Afterwards take Gavin aside and tell him his conversation wasn't appropriate for the employee lunchroom
Go over to the table and tell the guys this type of conversation isn't appropriate for the employee lunchroom
Do nothing. You might not like the morals of this fellow (and what you've heard of his son) but it's none of your business and it's the lunch break

7. When new employees join your workplace, what are they told about Harassment and/or human rights protection?
  They are not given any policy or told about such policies
They are given a policy and there is some discussion about what they can do if their rights are, or might be, violated
They are given a policy to read on their own

8. As a supervisor in a retail business during Christmas season, you are putting out a display of 6 poinsettia plants, when you are called to deal with a customer. With no one else around, you ask Kiersten to quickly put out the plants. She refuses as she always has for the past 16 years since her religion does not believe in, nor support the promotion of, Christmas. You leave the plants in the aisle and take 10 seconds to put out the display later. Realistically you:
  Discuss with her the company's "religion neutral" policy that she is violating by allowing her personal beliefs to interfere in the operation of the business
Do nothing & remind yourself that Kiersten is a good employee
Talk to her about the need for compromise and listen to what she has to say

9. Your employees change clothes in gender specific locker rooms. Jim has a picture of a naked woman on the inside of his locker, only visible to other men when his locker is open. Realistically, you:
  Tell Jim to take it down
Ask Jim to take it down and if he doesn't, then you insist it be removed within a week
Tell Jim to move it further inside his locker where very few people can see it. After all, it is his locker

10. One of your regular customers, Carmine, called one of your employees, Cheng, a "chinaman". You told Carmine not to use that term and the next time he comes by he brings you a Google search with many Canadian and American geographical locations using the term "chinaman" as justification to continue using the word. Realistically, you:
  Tell Carmine it doesn't matter. He can't call Cheng that name
Ask Cheng if he really minds. After all, Carmine is a good customer and he rarely uses the word
Tell Carmine it doesn't matter. He can't call Cheng that name or he'll have to take his business elsewhere

11. You have a policy that includes protection of discrimination, not just Harassment.
  No reference to discrimination, other than Harassment
Brief mention of discrimination in policy
Yes

12. Johanna is applying for a promotion within your department. It’s an important job that will require being part of a team for the next 2 years. Being on friendly terms you know that she and her husband want to have a baby. During the interview, realistically, you:
  Say nothing about her hopes of becoming pregnant but enquire with human resources about coverage if Johanna were to take maternity leave
Say nothing about her hopes of becoming pregnant and don't give it any thought in your decision making process
Ask Johanna if she is planning on having a baby during the two years of this team project


13. Charlie, an employee who immigrated from Vietnam years ago, is 14 months on the job and consistently has problems with a certain task. He passed his probationary period and it was your hope he'd master this problem. When you talk to him about his need to get this task done properly, he asks if you are saying this because he is Vietnamese. Realistically, you:
  Tell him it has nothing to do with his heritage, reassure him his job is not in jeopardy and turn over the task to another employee for good
Enquire further if there is anything to his concern before discussing your problem
Tell him it has nothing to do with his heritage and carry on

14. Hollie is a senior employee, who has more company knowledge than any person in your department. She is two years from retirement. A new employee, Chloe, takes exception to the comments Hollie makes behind the backs of any employee or customer who appears not to be born in Canada (usually because of an accent or skin colour). Hollie talks about lost jobs, or the incompetence of those people. Realistically, you:
  Ask Chloe to please let it go. Hollie's not going to change and if you had to let her go, her severance would about equal her two years of work until retirement
Talk to Hollie and tell her she has to stop making such comments
Talk to Hollie and if she won't change, move her to an area where she'll work on her own

15. A number of employees leave your building when their shift ends at 11:00 p.m. Mitch offered Jessica a ride home, but using an excuse of needing his glasses for driving, took a detour to his place, encouraging her to come in while he quickly got his glasses. Jessica tells you she asked him to pull over, but he kept saying his place was just around the corner. When he parked the car in his building's garage, she jumped out & hailed a cab. Jessica makes a formal Harassment complaint. Realistically, you:
  Treat this like any other formal Harassment complaint but find out if this is part of your responsibility since it took place off workplace premises
Treat this like any other formal Harassment complaint and begin an investigation
Tell Jessica you feel badly about this, but it's out of your hands as it wasn't on work time

16. You're trying to fill a job at your work and you're striving to get the most qualified candidate. However, you know you have deep seeded views about the ability of women and immigrants to do this job properly or to fit in with the other employees. (Getting along is very important.) Realistically, you:
  Get two other employees to sit in on any decision making for the position
Try your best to overcome your prejudices and pick the best candidate
Have two other employees give their thoughts after you've tentatively decided whom you'd like to hire

17. From day one, the guys have called Rick "Red". He's Aboriginal and he's never said anything to give the impression he has a problem with that name. However, you notice that whenever he introduces himself, he always offers his name "Rick" and never makes reference to his nickname. If a colleague is around, he will add "but everyone calls him Red". Realistically, you:
  Ask Rick in front of the other guys if he has a problem with "Red"
Talk to Rick alone to find out what name he prefers and if he has a problem with "Red"
Talk to some of the senior employees about what you've observed and you think they should drop the nickname

18. One of your employees, Helen, recently joined a lesser-known religious faith that requires 7 extra days off during the year. Under no circumstances will she work these days. Helen is giving you lots of notice, but 4 of those days are at peak times, or overlap with the holidays of other employees. Realistically, you:
  Tell Helen you can accommodate her days off as long as it doesn't cost the company any money
Tell Helen you will work something out unless it will break your budget
Tell Helen you will see if others are willing to swap days off and if not, then she'll have to work those days

19. One of your employees, Jill, often wears clothing that many men consider to be provocative. Her pants are rather tight and the tops are lower cut than usual. The men say she is distracting them and she wants the extra attention. As a supervisor realistically you:
  Talk to her about appropriate clothing
Consider objectively if her clothing violates the organization's dress code. If it does, you talk to her about appropriate clothing to wear. If it doesn't you tell the men they should keep their minds on their work
Tell her some of the men are distracted by her clothing and she should wear other clothes

20. Your Harassment and/or discrimination policy is known to most employees and is readily accessible either in pamphlets around the office, posters explaining aspects of it, or easily accessible on-line.
  People would know about it if they asked a few simple questions
Yes
Most employees would not know about these policies, or from a practical perspective, where to find them

 

Play workplace human rights quiz to have a better respectful workplace and to solve bullying issues of the employees.