I took a job with a company and offered to help with some technical (computer related) issues as they may appear and in my free time when I am not attending to the job duties of my Job. I told them I would field simple email problems ect...if I could help. TO make a long story short it has snow balled on me because I have tried to go 'above and beyond' for the company and now they require me to perform tasks like loading software, ordering equipment, reformatting computers and installing networks....I have told them I don’t feel comfortable operating outside of my job description to this extent but they ignore me and put me in a corner with issues and impose deadlines. I have a signed job description that deals with running a mental health facility; it says nothing about supporting the IT needs of the entire company and being required to perform these tasks. They do have the standard 'whatever task required by supervisor' caveat in the JD....

Your employer can require you to perform any task they wish as long as you aren't being required to violate any laws. If they want to make you the unofficial IT Director, they may. A job description is nothing more than a list of duties and responsibilities an employer voluntarily decided to put on paper. They can deviate from it or rip it up any time they like.

If you and your employer can't come to a mutual agreement on the paramaters of your job that you're comfortable with, then your recourse is to find a new position elsewhere.

First, thanks for taking the time to field my question.

Secondly, I think there may be some times where what they are asking me to do falls outside my technical skill set, as I was hired as a medical professional garnering those job specific credentials....If they ask me to install a complicated network or fix a computer and I don’t know how can they fire me for that?

Legally, yes, they can. It may be completely foolish of them to do so but no law prohibits it.

Thanks for your advice.

I guess I have learned a tough lesson but one that I wont soon forget.

I was allways told ' dont look a gift horse in the mouth ' ;)