Final answer:
The question refers to a step in a hiring process for a new employee (option A), where the company examines referral documents and pays a fee to the agency with the earliest referral. This is a practice in business to ensure fairness and efficiency in the recruitment process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about examining referral documents to determine which agency provided a referral first, and then paying a fee to that agency. This sounds like a step related to a business process, possibly involving a third-party agency that provides referrals. Specifically, the scenario best fits Option A, "A step in a hiring process for a new employee," as it mentions looking at referral dates, which is common in hiring when external recruiters or agencies are engaged to find suitable candidates.
Understanding which agency provided a referral first can be crucial when multiple agencies are used and fees are dependent on the timeliness and relevance of the recruitment service provided. The procedure would typically involve reviewing the referral documents, checking the dates of the referrals, and then proceeding with the payment to the agency whose referral was received first. This practice ensures that the hiring process is fair towards the agencies involved and provides a systematic way to reward the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process.