JOB DESCRIPTIONS: 101 CSRMA California 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.

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PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Core Demands Standing Walking Sitting Kneeling Crouching/Squatting Crawling Laying on Back/Stomach Climbing 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 Pushing Pulling 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 Lifting Carrying 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 issues Contact Bragg & Associates

QUESTIONS?