PHR · study plan · checked Oct 25, 2026
PHR study guide, by outline weight
Study the PHR the way it is weighted. Employee and labor relations (20%) and employee engagement (17%) together make up more than a third of the scored questions, while learning and development gets 10%. Start by checking that your material is built on the same outline.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- 2024 (7 areas)outline in force
- 90scored questions
- 2 hoursexam time
Check the edition of your material first
Outline in force: 2024 exam content outline, in force since March 1, 2024. Three signs a book or course predates it:
- it lists five functional areas, gives employee and labor relations 39%, or has an area called “Talent Planning and Acquisition”;
- it has no chapters on employee engagement or HR information management, the two new areas;
- its overtime chapter gives an $844 or $1,128 weekly salary level. Those were the 2024 rule’s figures, and a court vacated that rule in November 2024 (DOL).
Law chapters also need a 2025 or later update: Executive Order 11246 was revoked in January 2025 (what changed). The 2024 outline lists responsibilities only and names a few laws as examples (Title VII, the FLSA, OSHA, workers’ compensation); it has no official list of laws, so any “PHR law list” is the publisher’s own.
Split your time by weight
The weights are shares of the scored questions. Give each area roughly that share of your hours, then shift time to the areas the practice test shows you miss.
| # | Functional area | Weight | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Management | 14% | Practice questions |
| 2 | Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition | 14% | Practice questions |
| 3 | Learning and Development | 10% | Practice questions |
| 4 | Total Rewards | 15% | Practice questions |
| 5 | Employee Engagement | 17% | Practice questions |
| 6 | Employee and Labor Relations | 20% | Practice questions |
| 7 | HR Information Management | 10% | Practice questions |
What to master in each area
- Employee and labor relations: NLRA rights in union and nonunion workplaces, OSHA reporting and recordkeeping, the WARN Act, investigations.
- Employee engagement: rating errors, motivation theory, improvement plans, separations and RIFs.
- Total rewards: FLSA exemption and overtime rules, FMLA, ACA, COBRA, job evaluation.
- Business management: turnover, cost per hire and ROI formulas, change models, risk.
- Workforce planning and talent acquisition: Title VII, ADA and ADEA in hiring, selection validity, I-9.
- Learning and development: needs analysis, ADDIE, Kirkpatrick’s levels, succession data.
- HR information management: HR systems, access control, record retention.
Know which employer size triggers which law
Many law items turn on headcount. The federal thresholds, as of Oct 2026:
- 15 employees: Title VII and the ADA (42 U.S.C. 2000e, 42 U.S.C. 12111).
- 20 employees: the ADEA (EEOC) and COBRA (DOL).
- 50 employees: the FMLA (DOL) and the ACA employer mandate, counting full-time equivalents (IRS).
- 100 employees: the WARN Act (29 U.S.C. 2101).
Practice, then go back to the weakest area
Take the mixed practice test once early to see where you stand, not to predict a score: the exam needs a scaled score of 500, and nothing converts a practice percentage into it. Then work area by area. Read the note on every option you got wrong, and on the ones you got right by guessing.
Near the end, take the mixed set again and compare area by area. If you fail, the score report shows your performance by area: plan the retake the same way.
Study the seven areas on your phone
PHR: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
The seven areas, one page each
- Business Management 14% of the exam
- Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition 14% of the exam
- Learning and Development 10% of the exam
- Total Rewards 15% of the exam
- Employee Engagement 17% of the exam
- Employee and Labor Relations 20% of the exam
- HR Information Management 10% of the exam
PHR study, quick answers
How long should I study for the PHR?
Neither the handbook nor the outline gives a number of hours. Plan from your gaps: take the practice test, then give the most time to the heavy areas you miss, starting with labor relations at 20%.
What is the best PHR study guide?
Any guide built on the seven-area 2024 outline, with law chapters updated in 2025 or later. A guide that teaches five functional areas is out of date, however good it was.
Do I need a prep course to take the PHR?
No. Eligibility is professional-level HR experience, and how much depends on your degree (requirements); courses are optional.