JOB DESCRIPTIONS: 101

CSRMACalifornia Sanitation Risk Management Authority

WHAT IS A JOB DESCRIPTION?

A written statement that details the elements of a job including the job duties, knowledge/skills/abilities, physical demands and work environment.

ELEMENTS OF OF A JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• General information (job title, department, employer name, work schedule, etc.)

• Minimum Qualifications

• Essential Functions/Marginal Functions

• Detailed Physical Demands

• Machines & Tools

• Special Environment

USES OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• Hiring/Compensation/Performance Evaluations

• Training

• Post-offer/Fitness-for-Duty Examinations

• Workers’ Compensation

• ADA/FEHA Accommodation

BENEFITS OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• Improve planning, training and communication with clearly defined positions

• Ensure the Employer’s “voice” is represented at all employees’ medical appointments (WC, fitness-for-duty, etc.)

• Proactively address return-to-work issues• Protect against ADA & FEHA litigation

ESSENTIAL vs. MARGINAL FUNCTIONS

Essential Functions: Job duties that are fundamental to the job

Marginal Functions: Job duties that are commonly performed by an employee in the position, but are not considered fundamental to the job.

ESSENTIAL OR MARGINAL?slide 1 of 3

Are employees in thisposition required to

perform this function?

MARGINALFUNCTION

Does the position exist toperform this function?

ESSENTIALFUNCTION

NO

YES

NO

YES

ESSENTIAL OR MARGINAL?slide 2 of 3

Is the function so highlyspecialized that the incumbentin the position is hired for his/

her expertise or ability toperform the function?

ESSENTIALFUNCTION

By not performing thefunction, would there beserious consequences?

ESSENTIALFUNCTION

NO

YES

YES

NO

ESSENTIAL OR MARGINAL?slide 3 of 3

Are otheremployeesavailable toperform thefunction?

ESSENTIALFUNCTION

ESSENTIALFUNCTION

Would criticalpeak periods ofwork prevent

reorganizing workassignments?

MARGINALFUNCTION

NO NO

YES YES

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Core Demands

StandingWalking

SittingKneeling

Crouching/Squatting

CrawlingLaying on

Back/StomachClimbing 

• Cannot be performed in conjunction with each other

• Total core demand hours must equal total work hours

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Upper Extremity Use

Reaching – Below Shoulder

Level– At Shoulder Level– Above Shoulder

Level 

PushingPulling

• Each can be performed with the dominant arm, non-dominant arm, or bilaterally

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Hand Use

Twisting Wrist(s)

Bending Wrist(s)

Simple Grasping

Power Grasping

Fine Manipulation

• Often performed in conjunction with grasping or fine manipulation

• Each can be performed with the dominant hand, non-dominant hand, or bilaterally

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Body/Torso Use

Twisting/Rotating– Waist– Neck  

Bending– Waist– Neck  

• Can be repetitive, periodic or prolonged

• Twisting & bending of the neck are often within normal body mechanics to aid visually

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Lifting/Carrying

LiftingCarrying

• Lifting generally only takes seconds, while carrying may be for longer durations.

• It is easy to overlook light carrying such as carrying a clipboard around a work site, but it is important to include it in the job description

CSRMA JOB DESCRIPTION TOOLS

Job Description Library– 30 “generic” job descriptions– Can be used as-is or modified– Comprehensive format

Job Description Builder– Six Excel spreadsheets– Up to 100 tasks per

department– Highly customizable– Less detailed format

JOB DESCRIPTION LIBRARY

• Developed with four different agencies

• As detailed as possible without being too specific to accommodate different types of Agencies

• Fully editable Microsoft Word documents

JOB DESCRIPTION BUILDER

• Build job descriptions from a database of job tasks, knowledge/skills/abilities, machines/tools and special environment

• Assign percentages to each task to identify breakdown of tasks performed on an average day

• The Builder automatically calculates the overall physical demands

HOW TO REVIEW A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A WC CLAIM

TITLE BLOCK:

• Confirm or enter employee specific information: name, date of injury, etc.

• Confirm or enter the number of work hours per day & week

HOW TO REVIEW A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A WC CLAIM

JOB DUTIES:

• Review essential and marginal functions with EE

• If EE has restrictions, determine which functions the EE cannot perform

• Discuss accommodations

HOW TO REVIEW A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A WC CLAIM

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Refer to physical demands in conjunction with essential/marginal functions to help determine whether EE can perform task with or without accommodation

HOW TO REVIEW A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A WC CLAIM

SPECIAL ENVIRONMENT:

• If EE has restrictions against certain environments (confined spaces, extreme temperatures, etc.) determine which job duties employee is precluded from.

HOW TO REVIEW A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A WC CLAIM

MACHINES/TOOLS:

• If EE has restrictions against certain machines or tools (such as vibrating equipment) determine which job duties employee is precluded from.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

When to obtain additional support:

• Catastrophic claims• Serious claims with high lost time

potential• Permanent disability

accommodation issuesContact Bragg & Associates

QUESTIONS?