On "Other Duties As Assigned"

I don't make the memes. The memes make themselves.

Can we talk about how we are long overdue for removing the toxic concept of "other duties as assigned" from job descriptions and job postings?

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for federal employees [read: federal], "other duties as assigned" is meant to refer to minor tasks related to a role, so every possible scenario doesn't need to be stated in contracts, job descriptions, and related documentation. The issues for me lie in one place: this is a loophole of legalese used to work the crap out of people and push multiple jobs under one job description. Over time, non-federal jobs began to base most of their job-building practices on these guidelines, too. It's a trap for all of us, regardless of the sector we work in.

You can't plan for every possible scenario because no job is built in a wind tunnel. There will always be some functions of your role that evolve or possibly change on a given day or with a given situation. That should be expected because human beings and workplaces can be unpredictable at times. But when it comes to most jobs, the addition of "other duties as assigned" at the end of a job posting or job description has less to do with possibilities and more to do with "how can we legally merge two jobs into one when we're regularly short-staffed?" How many times have you found yourself legitimately stuck with doing random tasks and whatnot that have nothing to do with your job? Most of our jobs find us doing extra things that stray away from the jobs we applied for and accepted. Our organizations are constantly short-staffed in various areas and use this clause to fill long-term staffing gaps instead of an interim tool with a timeline. We, as employees, deserve better.

Employers need to evaluate job descriptions and make sure they are clear regarding job duties and feasible performance expectations at least annually (preferably twice a year). Employees need to be a part of that discussion around job duties; that way, you know if the position has evolved and whether or not tasks should be added or removed. And you should do this because it will allow you to build and maintain up-to-date job descriptions focused on the legitimate duties of the position that do not treat people like stop-gap measures. And employers need to evaluate why people leave their organizations and begin the messy long-term work of repairing and rebuilding hiring processes and retention. If you aren't constantly short-staffed, you have no reason to push for "other duties as assigned." Easier said than done? Of course. That doesn’t mean you don’t do it, though.

Consider it your duty to remove “other duties.”