Essential function

An essential function is a part of an employee’s duties that is central to why they were hired. For example, an essential function of a cashier is to take payments and make change. And, an essential function of a pilot is to fly an airplane. Note that under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an employer is never required to eliminate an essential job function, but an employer may need to provide a reasonable accommodation to help a person do the function.

[ Compare to: Marginal function ]


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Essential Job Function
Social media graphic with a of a warehouse worker driving a cart. The text says: What is an essential job function under Title I of the ADA? It’s a job task central to a position that the employee must be able to perform with or without an accommodation.