Public Personnel Administration (PA-403) Study Guide

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms, legislation, and legal cases for the PA-403 Public Personnel Administration Exam based on the provided study guide.

Human Capital

The collective skills, knowledge, and intangible assets of individuals used to create value for an organization.

Patronage

A system where government jobs or favors are distributed based on political loyalty rather than merit, often associated with the spoils system.

Merit System

A personnel system where hiring and promotion are based on ability and performance rather than political connections, codified by the Pendleton Act of 1883.

Selection

The process of choosing the best-qualified candidates for a specific position from a pool of applicants.

Centralization

The concentration of administrative power or authority in a central organization or office, such as a centralized human resources department.

Efficiency

A core goal of personnel administration focusing on achieving maximum output or results with the minimum expenditure of resources.

Recruitment

The process of attracting and encouraging qualified individuals to apply for positions within an organization.

Turnover

The rate at which employees leave an organization and are replaced by new staff.

Pendleton Act of 1883

The landmark federal law that established three core principles of the merit system: competitive exams, relative fitness, and political neutrality.

Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) of 1978

Federal legislation aimed at improving the efficiency of the civil service and establishing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993

A law requiring federal agencies to implement performance planning and reporting to link individual performance to organizational goals.

USAJobs website

A federal initiative and Recruitment One-Stop tool designed to modernize and simplify the process of searching and applying for federal jobs.

Collective Bargaining

The process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees (often represented by a union) to determine conditions of employment.

Property Interest

A legal claim established when a public employee has a legitimate expectation of continued employment, requiring due process before termination.

Quid Pro Quo

A form of sexual harassment where employment benefits or job status are made conditional upon the exchange of sexual favors.

Disparate Treatment

A form of employment discrimination that occurs when an employer intentionally treats an employee differently because of a protected characteristic.

Disparate Impact

A legal theory where employment practices that are neutral on the surface have a disproportionately negative effect on a protected group.

Due Process

The legal requirement that the state must respect the legal rights of individuals, including notice and a hearing before adverse actions; categorized into procedural and substantive types.

Hay Methodology

A job evaluation method that measures positions based on three primary factors: know-how, problem-solving, and accountability.

Hatch Act

Federal legislation that limits the political activities of federal employees to maintain a nonpartisan civil service.

22 GCA

The Guam Code Annotated section that contains personnel statutory policies and prohibitions for the Government of Guam (GovGuam).

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

A federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

Equal Pay Act of 1963

Labor law that prohibits gender-based wage discrimination by requiring equal pay for equal work performed under similar conditions.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

A law that provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

Griggs v. Duke Power Co.

Supreme Court case that established the concept of disparate impact, ruling that employment tests must be job-related.

Garrity v. New Jersey

Supreme Court case ruling that public employees cannot be forced to choose between self-incrimination and job forfeiture during administrative investigations.

Bostock v. Clayton County

Supreme Court case ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.