Question
We are looking for some guidance on job descriptions. What is their benefit? Do we have to list every single duty that an employee might be expected to perform in the job description? What if we forget to include something?
Answer
A carefully crafted job description can be an effective tool for recruiting applicants who meet the job’s requirements and can set an employer’s expectations of aspects such as job duties, schedule and pay. Setting clear and appropriate expectations for an employee is often the best way to ensure satisfactory job performance. Another benefit of a job description is that it can serve as a guide for employees and their supervisors to discuss performance issues and provide objective standards against which performance can be evaluated. A job description can also help to ensure the proper classification of employees as exempt or nonexempt from minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Moreover, effective job descriptions can potentially minimize discrimination claims if an employer can show that employment decisions were made based on the ability to perform the specified job duties rather than on illegal factors.
Job descriptions ensure that employees know the essential job functions and what is expected of them. Ideally, a job description should be specific enough to accurately describe the job in question but flexible enough to include other duties as assigned. An employer should make clear in job descriptions that the needs of the company dictate — and employees’ jobs will entail — the required duties that are reasonably assigned by a manager or supervisor and within the employees’ capacity to deliver. An employer should also clarify that job duties may be changed at the employer’s discretion. Employers are advised to work with their legal counsel to draft job descriptions that accurately reflect the positions while meeting specific company needs.