The importance of duty statements

You must know what your duties are if you’re going to carry them out successfully.

That’s why, if you haven’t been given a duty statement, ask for one right away. Our contract (Article 14.4) provides that you must be given a current duty statement within 15 calendar days of your request.

The statement also must comply with the California Human Resources (CalHR) department’s job classification specifications (however, many of the specifications haven’t been revised in years; your duty statement may be a better indicator of your responsibilities). You can check the SPB classifications by clicking here.

If applicable, employees in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation should ask for a post order; employees in the Division of Juvenile Justice should request work instructions. These items are similar to duty statements but are often specific to a facility.

The duty statement, post order or work instructions list your responsibilities and the standards against which you’ll be evaluated.

If you don’t receive a duty statement after the allotted time period, immediately contact your workplace steward or the Local 1000 Union Resource Center at 866.471.SEIU (7348).