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Planning for Staff Needs

Andrew V. Silbaugh

Department of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership, University of West Florida

EDA 6222

Dr. Aneta Walker

March 15th, 2020

EDA6222: Planning for Staffing Needs-Andrew Silbaugh 2

Planning for Staff Needs

When applying for job postings, one typically is more concerned with the position title,

the salary, and the schedule. But one area of importance in a job posting, and for any position, is

the essential functions section. The essential function is a duty or task that is essential for that job

(Seyfarth, 2008). As a principal, picking someone who is not familiar with the essential functions

of a job would not be beneficial for the school nor the employee hired. One would not want to

hire a custodian who did not know that they would be responsible for working with chemicals or

a teacher who did not know they would have to plan lessons. Essential functions are important in

selecting the correct candidate and one who meets the needs of the school.

An essential function is a part of a job that is necessary to complete the position

satisfactorily (Seyfarth, 2008). Seyfarth (2008) notes that task is an essential function if an

employee spends a considerable amount of time on that task. Additionally, Seyfarth (2008) notes

that even if a task is minimal, if there is a potential for injury or harm if not performed or not

done correctly, it can also be classified as an essential function. Additionally, collective

bargaining units will negotiate specific essential functions and if they are not completed by that

employee, they would not be part of the job description (Seyfarth, 2008). All in all, certain

positions require certain essential functions. While a custodian’s functions should differ from a

teacher’s, even individual teacher’s functions should differ from position to position.

Essential functions must also include adherence to the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA). The ADA for Employers (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2019) has

guidance for essential functions. ADA notes that essential functions are duties an employee is

responsible for doing with or without reasonable accommodation (US Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission, 2019). The employer must also look at each job and determine which
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duties are essential to performance as they can play an impact in the hiring process from

recruiting, hiring, promoting, and even firing (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,

2019). The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2019) notes that an employer

needs to determine if a function is essential if the position exists to do that function, the number

of other employees available to do that function and if it can be distributed, and the level of skill

or expertise needed to perform the function. The US Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission (2019) also considers the work experience of employees in the job, the time spent

on the essential function(s), the consequences of not requiring that an employee perform that

function, and the terms of the collective bargaining unit.

There are multiple reasons for selecting the correct teacher for a teaching position, but

above all, a principal must select a teacher that is a good fit for the classroom and can perform

the essential functions of the position. Young and Prince (1999) state that it is important for

principals to select teachers appropriately while following the ADA as there can be legal

ramifications for not doing so. Additionally, Young and Prince (1999) note that a principal that

does not pick the correct person for the job can seriously disrupt a child’s education. Teachers

are responsible for the education and safety of students and if they cannot reasonably perform

this, they would not be meeting the essential functions of a teaching position. Osbourne and

Russo (2011) note that classroom teaching is an essential function of a teacher’s job and if they

cannot perform in such a setting, they do not meet the requirements of the position. However, if

someone wants to be with students and support them, there could be an opportunity within the

school in a different position (Osbourne & Russo, 2011).

All in all, a principal needs to be open to finding talent and teachers for his/her school. A

person may be interested in teaching, but if they cannot perform the essential functions of the
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job, then that person may be suited for another position in the school. I like to think of my

current principal and how she interviews candidates for a position and will put them in a

different grade level because they would be more suited towards that grade level. The same

applies for finding someone who may not be able to perform the essential functions of a job.

There can always be other opportunities that allow a candidate to serve in a school while still

assisting students. But above all, the principal must make sure the tasks involved in a job are

essential and that he/she is following the law.

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References

Osborne, A. G., & Russo, C. J. (2011). The legal rights and responsibilities of teachers: Issues

of employment and instruction. Corwin.

Seyfarth, J. (2008). Human resources leadership for effective schools (5th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2019, May 9). The ADA: Your

responsibilities as an employer. https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/ada17.html.

Young, I. P., & Prince, A. L. (1999). Legal implications for teacher selection as defined by the

ADA and the ADEA. Journal of Law and Education, 28(4), 517–530.