Do Job Titles Really Matter?

Today's New York Times article about funky pandemic-driven job titles ("Chief Heart Officer" "Head of Dynamic Work" and "Vice President of Flexible Work" to name a few) highlighted some new roles the pandemic has stimulated. The article also reminds us why job titles matter. Yes, job titles should communicate what the worker does. They also implicitly convey authority, role within the organization, and scope of responsibility. From a legal perspective, job titles matter because they also provide important information about complex legal issues such as overtime eligibility and worker status (as an employee or independent contractor) and job titles drive compensation decisions. The developing movement in many states toward pay transparency and the requirement that pay ranges be disclosed in job advertisements make job titles even more relevant, especially for compensation-setting professionals tasked with assembling and publicizing positions. So what is the salary range for a Chief Heart Officer? We may have to wait to find out until the next time the job is advertised.