2024 Management Module – Practice Quiz (Untimed)

1. If a modification to the IRC is granted due to practical difficulties for an individual case, what record must be entered into the files of the department of building safety?

2. Regarding labor relations, which federal law governs labor relations for most federal government employees?

3. According to best practices for effective management, what must a manager always provide support for, even when employees make mistakes?

4. What is highly overrated in importance by most workers, according to numerous surveys on motivating factors?

5. Which entrepreneurial approach requires spending requests to be submitted as quantifiable and verifiable measures of results, encouraging competition among units?

6. What is the ICC-ES Building Department Service (BDS) intended to provide to building departments?

7. What is the first step in implementing Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM)?

8. Under IBC, what documentation must be kept by the building official if tests are conducted to demonstrate code compliance for alternative materials?

9. Providing performance feedback, determining raises, and documenting performance issues are common purposes of which human resource function?

10. When providing great customer service, what general rule applies to the ratio of time an inspector should spend listening versus talking to the customer?

11. When an inspector leaves written instructions on the job site (e.g., correction notice), what must the instructions clearly state to ensure follow-up?

12. What is the mandatory function of an employee during communication to ensure effective customer service?

13. What is the primary operating fund that must account for any transaction that cannot be accounted for in another fund?

14. Which method of indirect cost allocation involves summing the cost of all support services and apportioning them based on relative size, ignoring the interdependence among support services?

15. To avoid being perceived as critical or accusatory in face-to-face conversations, which two words should the inspector generally avoid using in the context of mistakes or code deficiencies?

16. What is the goal established through consensus in the code development process regarding building safety?

17. If a building department aims to achieve departmental recognition as a vital element of public safety, what must it seek toward its operational identity?

18. What is the fundamental difference between the engineering work typically done in Public Works versus that done in Building Inspection?

19. In the context of managing volunteers, what must an organization’s governing board provide to ensure effective management and legal compliance?

20. The ability of an inspector to be effective depends heavily on the support of those in charge, including managers, department heads, and which other group?

21. Which primary argument supports the idea that the building department should be an autonomous department, rather than a subordinate branch of Public Works?

22. Which activity performed by building department staff is considered nonrevenue-producing and should ideally be absorbed by general funds, rather than permit fees?

23. In electronic records management, if an error is discovered in a computer record after a project is completed, what is the appropriate administrative action to take instead of amending the record itself?

24. The objective of career development programs is to link individual growth with which other SHRM strategy to effectively address the agency’s long-term human resources needs?

25. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Garcetti v. Ceballos (2006) impacts public employee speech protections by distinguishing between speaking as a private citizen versus speaking as what?

26. When a local building department’s electronic permitting system experiences software upgrades independently by different vendors, what is the primary disadvantage to the jurisdiction?

27. Which public sector labor relations topic is generally prohibited from being bargained because it often falls under the civil service merit system?

28. For a commercial building’s Certificate of Occupancy (IBC), what specific information is required to be documented if an automatic sprinkler system is provided?

29. Why is the concept of an Enterprise Fund an attractive solution for a building department manager struggling with budget constraints?

30. Which of the following is an example of a merit good, often provided free or subsidized by government due to its widespread community benefits?

31. What must a building official demonstrate as the basis for accepting an or method of construction?

32. When a nonprofit organization focuses on providing a supportive environment and resources (e.g., psychological services, safe environments, social/interpersonal relations) to help people relate to their surrounding social environment, this addresses which category of needs?

33. What is the first step in the development of a comprehensive, long-range training program?

34. For fire safety, if the fire code official issues an Annual Permit, the holder must keep a detailed record of alterations made under the permit, which must be accessible to the fire code official or filed as designated. Where is this requirement found?

35. If the building official issues a temporary certificate of occupancy (IBC) before the entire work is complete, what must the official specify in the record?

36. For a new commercial building, how long must the building official retain one set of the approved construction documents?

37. Which acronym represents the four universal phases of the budget cycle?

38. What is a critical consideration regarding an inspector’s time management if they are assigned too many inspections to be completed thoroughly by the end of the day?

39. For commercial buildings, a technical opinion and report required by the building official (IBC) must be prepared by a qualified party and provided without charge to whom?

40. Under Title VII, the exception that permits an employer to discriminate on the basis of religion, sex, or national origin if the characteristic is necessary to the normal operation of that particular business is known as the:

41. What is the crucial first step in implementing Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM)?

42. Why are services offered by public organizations and non-profits often intangible and difficult to measure?

43. What core principle guides the decision to allow employees to receive time off or compensatory time in lieu of cash for overtime work (Comp Time)?

44. According to budgetary guidelines, which of the following revenue forecasting methods is generally considered the most accurate and useful for anticipating turning points in the local economy?

45. Which core organizational value dictates that public and non-profit agencies must be true to their mandated purposes?

46. The legal basis for assessing special assessments on property owners for public improvements is that the property must:

47. Which IBC section requires the building official to keep a record of fees collected and refunded?

48. In the context of performance measurement, why is inspection often considered arguably the most important function of the building department?

49. According to the IBC, if the building official issues a Notice of Violation, under which section are the specific requirements for such notices found?

50. What is the primary purpose of developing Competency Models for supervisory positions, distinct from standard job analysis?

51. In addition to technical skills, what nontechnical abilities are included in the definition of “soft skills” necessary for an inspector?

52. For a new commercial building, what required information on the Certificate of Occupancy (IBC) specifies the use based on Chapter 3?

53. What type of question should a building official ask when analyzing the reader of written correspondence (such as a correction notice or policy letter)?

54. Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) are used for routine HRM tasks as well as to aid in performance management and which other critical function?

55. When writing a letter that mandates action, the words used must be carefully selected to ensure which characteristic?

56. What term describes the legal right of an individual to expect fairness in all legal proceedings, including notice of proceedings and an opportunity to be heard?

57. What is required to resume work after an IBC permit has been suspended or abandoned for 180 days?

58. What is the primary difficulty facing states and local governments when trying to apply sales tax to Internet sales?

59. What is the key objective when composing written correspondence (letters) from the building official?

60. What type of property tax classification involves taxing single-family residential property at one rate and all other property at a higher rate?

61. If the building official grants an extension for an IBC permit application that would otherwise be abandoned, what is the maximum duration for each extension?

62. What should the building official be sure to do before a new departmental procedure or restriction is enacted?

63. To ensure consistency in tracking and reporting financial transactions, the accounting department assigns a unique number to each fund, department, and object of expenditure using a system called the:

64. What is the third pillar of sound public finance, which requires policies to limit the cost of administration to no more than 5 percent of the revenue yield?

65. What is the primary role of the front-counter staff in communicating with customers regarding code requirements?

66. When the building department is generating revenue in excess of its expenses, but the funds are deposited in the General Fund, who determines how those funds are allocated?

67. What is the primary benefit of using a formal annual report?

68. In job evaluation, the compensable factor used to assess the physical input required, such as strength, stamina, and manual dexterity, is known as:

69. Which common performance rating error occurs when a rater consistently gives lower ratings than deserved, regardless of actual performance?

70. What is the purpose of the initial screening process for plans in some jurisdictions, prior to plans entering the full review queue?

71. If a building department consistently shows a substantial profit (revenue far exceeding operational costs), what is the primary consequence regarding service quality?

72. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide which accommodation to applicants or employees with disabilities, provided it does not create an undue hardship?

73. A state-funded income tax credit for extraordinarily burdensome property taxes targeted at the poorest households is known as a:

74. What is the foremost function of the budget document in maintaining fiscal order?

75. What legal protection does the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 primarily afford to volunteers working for a non-profit organization?