Which term describes assigning an employee to a job without ascertaining competence or keeping an unfit employee on a job?

• A. Negligent discharge
• B. Incompetent assignment
• C. Negligent assignment
• D. Professional malpractice

Answer: (C)

Placing someone in a position without confirming they have the necessary skills, and leaving an unfit employee in that role, shows a failure to exercise due care in supervision. That kind of careless placement is what negligent assignment describes. It covers both the act of assigning someone who isn’t competent and the ongoing risk of keeping them in a job they can’t perform safely or effectively, which can create harm or inefficiency in the workplace and potential liability for the supervisor or organization.

Negligent discharge isn’t about where someone works, but about releasing or terminating someone from a job in a careless way. Incompetent assignment focuses on the person’s lack of ability, but not on the supervisor’s broader failure to vet and monitor staff. Professional malpractice involves professional wrongdoing in practice more broadly and isn’t the specific supervision term for misplacing staff.