What Does Job Function Mean?

Job functions are defined as the basic duties that an individual employee is responsible for. These duties vary from one position to the next, even within the same pool of employees. The essential job functions of any potential opening must be clearly defined prior to advertising or interviewing for any position within a company.

Further, the Americans with Disabilities Act uses these job functions as a means for determining what constitutes reasonable accommodations required to perform them. Employers are well within their rights to advertise positions for which no accommodations will be made, but this must be clearly defined prior to posting the opening. Certain essential job functions are simply not suitable for all individuals to complete, either due to their physical health, medical limitations or documented disabilities. In these cases, an employer may elect to advise applicants who have such conditions that no accommodations for their situation will be made. While this may not be used as a deciding factor for the final hiring decision, individuals with physical limitations must accept the conditions of their employment and will be effectively waiving their right to file an ADA claim in the future, in the event that their physical condition contributes to poor job performance or eventual termination.