HR & Employment
Definition
A written document that defines a position's title, responsibilities, required qualifications, reporting structure, and employment classification, used for recruiting, performance management, and legal compliance.
A job description is a formal written summary of a position within an organization that communicates what the role does, what qualifications are required, who it reports to, and where it fits in the organizational structure. A complete job description typically includes the job title, department, reporting relationship, FLSA classification (exempt or non-exempt), employment type (full-time, part-time, temporary), a summary of the role's purpose, a list of essential functions and responsibilities, required qualifications (education, experience, skills, certifications), preferred qualifications, physical demands or working conditions if applicable, and compensation range in jurisdictions where pay transparency is required.
Job descriptions serve multiple functions across the employee lifecycle. During recruiting, they define the candidate profile and set expectations for applicants — affecting both the quality and diversity of applicant pools. Clear, inclusive language attracts a broader range of candidates; jargon-heavy or unnecessarily restrictive language can screen out qualified candidates unnecessarily. During onboarding, the job description anchors discussions about role expectations and early objectives. During performance management, it provides the baseline against which performance is evaluated. In legal proceedings, it is a key piece of evidence in disputes about what the employee was hired to do, whether a position is truly exempt from overtime, and whether a termination or disciplinary action was appropriate.
One of the most legally significant aspects of a job description is the distinction between essential functions and marginal functions. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers must provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so causes undue hardship — but only with respect to essential job functions. If a job description does not clearly identify essential functions, the employer loses an important defense in ADA accommodation disputes and litigation.
Pay transparency laws in states like California, Colorado, New York, and Washington now require employers to include salary ranges in job postings. These laws are rapidly expanding, and failing to comply can result in state penalties and damage employer brand in competitive talent markets.
An outdated, inaccurate, or legally problematic job description can create cascading issues: misaligned hires, overtime misclassification exposure, ADA accommodation disputes, and discrimination claims stemming from inconsistent screening criteria. In pay transparency states, failing to post salary ranges carries direct legal and reputational consequences.
An HR professional can audit and rewrite your job description library to ensure accuracy, legal compliance, inclusive language, and alignment with current FLSA classification standards. An employment attorney should review any job description for roles that carry significant wage and hour risk or ADA-sensitive physical requirements. The upfront investment in clean job descriptions pays dividends across the entire HR and legal risk landscape.