Caveat Academy course · Grades 10 to 12 and adults

Human Resources Fundamentals

How organizations find, pay, grow and keep their people: what HR does and the federal laws behind it, job analysis, recruiting and structured interviews, onboarding and training that works, pay ranges, overtime and benefits, reviews and fair discipline, safety, records and the changing shape of work. You run the same numbers HR teams run, at your own pace, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
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Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Career and trades courses, $79 for 18 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: What HR does and why

    Describe the main HR functions, explain the core federal employment laws and at-will employment, check FMLA eligibility, and separate essential from marginal job functions.

    • The human resources function
    • Federal employment law basics
    • Job analysis and job descriptions
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Recruiting and selection

    Compute recruiting metrics, design structured interview questions that avoid discrimination risk, and total a weighted decision matrix.

    • Finding candidates
    • Screening and interviewing
    • Selection decisions and job offers
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Onboarding, training and development

    Plan onboarding that meets I-9 and W-4 requirements, design training with ADDIE and evaluate it at Kirkpatrick's four levels.

    • Onboarding new employees
    • Designing training that works
    • Career development and succession planning
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Pay and benefits

    Compute compa-ratios, weekly pay with overtime, payroll taxes and total compensation, and explain exempt and nonexempt status.

    • Pay structures
    • Overtime and paychecks
    • Benefits and total compensation
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Performance and employee relations

    Write SMART goals and behavior-based feedback, recognize rating errors, document progressive discipline and compute turnover and retention.

    • Managing performance
    • Discipline and separation
    • Engagement, retention and labor relations
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Safety, records and the changing workplace

    Compute injury incidence rates, apply the hierarchy of controls and record-keeping rules, and evaluate whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.

    • Workplace safety
    • HR records, data and privacy
    • Workforce planning and the changing workplace
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Pay structures

Worked example: computing compa-ratios

  1. Range for a bookkeeper: 44,000 to 66,000 dollars, midpoint 55,000.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Vocations · Job Skills$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in human resources: you can check FMLA eligibility and sort essential from marginal job functions, compute cost per hire and a weighted decision matrix, write structured interview questions that stay clear of protected traits, plan onboarding and evaluate training at four levels, compute compa-ratios, overtime pay, payroll taxes and total compensation, write SMART goals and fair warnings, compute turnover and injury rates, and judge whether a worker is an employee or a contractor. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 10 to 12 in business, career and technical education or work-based learning programs, adults exploring HR, office administration or supervisor roles, and new team leads who want to understand the people side of a business. It explains general federal rules and is not legal advice; it does not replace a professional HR certification program.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Career and trades courses ($79) and the Vocations Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Job Skills space in Caveat Vocations.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act: dol.gov
  2. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, prohibited employment practices: eeoc.gov
  3. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-9 Central: uscis.gov; Internal Revenue Service, Form W-4 and employment taxes: irs.gov
  4. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, workers' rights, recordkeeping and the hierarchy of controls: osha.gov
  5. National Labor Relations Board, employee rights: nlrb.gov; Federal Trade Commission, background checks and the Fair Credit Reporting Act: ftc.gov

Human Resources Fundamentals is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It explains general federal rules as of 2026 and is not legal advice; state and local rules vary and change, and numbers marked as example numbers are for practice only. It does not replace a school course or a professional certification program and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.