6 free templates by version: general, entry-level, senior, small business, data-entry, and front office, with the FLSA non-exempt classification and BLS pay guidance generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
An office clerk keeps an office running: answering phones, filing, entering data, sorting mail, and supporting the team with the day-to-day clerical work. It is one of the most common small-business hires in the country, almost always an entry-level, hourly role, and it carries one compliance point that generic templates skip entirely: it is non-exempt, so overtime applies. Get the classification wrong and a small employer risks a wage claim.
These six templates cover the role across versions: general, entry-level, senior, small business, administrative or data-entry, and front office. Each is ready to use, with the FLSA and pay guidance built in. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion, and FirstHR helps run the onboarding once you hire.
TL;DR
An office clerk handles clerical and administrative tasks: phones, filing, data entry, mail, and office support. The role is hourly and non-exempt, so overtime applies, and routine clerical work generally does not meet the FLSA administrative exemption. The federal occupation reports a median wage of $20.97 an hour (about $43,620 a year). Download six free templates as DOCX, by version, with the FLSA and pay guidance built in.
What an Office Clerk Does
An office clerk performs a variety of clerical and administrative tasks that keep an office organized: answering and routing calls, filing and recordkeeping, data entry, sorting mail, scheduling, and supporting staff. The exact mix varies by employer, which is the defining feature of the role.
The federal occupation is 43-9061 Office Clerks, General, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes as duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any single clerical occupation. The O*NET profile lists the standardized task and skill set. It is one of the largest occupations in the country, with about 2.6 million jobs, hired across nearly every industry, which is why the role and its templates come in several versions.
Office Clerk Duties and Responsibilities
Office clerk duties cluster into four areas: front office and phones, filing and records, data and documents, and office support. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your setting, rather than listing every possible task.
Front office and phones
Answer and route phone calls
Greet and direct visitors
Schedule appointments and calendars
Filing and records
File, scan, and organize documents
Maintain paper and digital records
Keep filing systems current
Data and documents
Enter and verify data accurately
Prepare reports and correspondence
Process forms, invoices, or orders
Office support
Sort and distribute mail
Order and restock supplies
Support staff with clerical tasks
The balance shifts by version: a data-entry clerk leans into accuracy and records, a front-office clerk into check-in and scheduling, and a small-business clerk does a bit of everything. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by version and level: general for a standard clerk, entry-level for a first office hire, senior for a lead, small business for a lean team, data-entry for accuracy-focused work, and front office for a clinic or practice. Use this guide to choose.
Office Clerk (General)
Standard baseline
The universal version: phones, filing, data entry, mail, and general clerical support. The starting point for most office clerk hires.
Entry-Level
First office job, training
For a first office hire with on-the-job training. No experience required, with a clear path to senior or administrative roles.
Senior / Lead
Complex work, mentoring
For an experienced clerk who handles complex recordkeeping, coordinates the office, and guides junior clerks.
Small Business / No HR
Wears many hats
For a small business where the clerk supports the whole team and the owner hires directly. The closest fit for a small employer.
Administrative / Data-Entry
Accuracy focus
For a detail-driven role centered on accurate data entry, records, and document management with administrative support.
Front Office (Clinic)
Customer-facing
For a clinic or practice front desk: check-in, scheduling, and paperwork, with patient privacy built in.
Match the Template to Your Hire
A standard office role: General. A first office job with training: Entry-Level. An experienced lead who guides others: Senior. A small business where the clerk wears many hats: Small Business / No HR, the closest fit for a small employer. Accuracy-focused records work: Administrative / Data-Entry. A clinic or practice front desk: Front Office. Every version is non-exempt and hourly; confirm by duties.
6 Free Office Clerk Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Every template builds in the non-exempt, hourly classification. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, entry-level, senior, small business, data-entry, and front office. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Office Clerk (General)
The universal version: phones, filing, data entry, mail, and general clerical support. The starting point for most office clerk hires.
Office Clerk Job Description (General)
OFFICE CLERK JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Owner)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your company and the team this office clerk will
support. Note the schedule and any in-office requirement.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Office Clerk to keep our office running smoothly. You
will handle a variety of clerical and administrative tasks: answering phones,
filing, data entry, sorting mail, and supporting the team day to day. This is a
hands-on, detail-oriented role that keeps our paperwork and front office
organized.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Answer and route phone calls and take messages
•Greet visitors and direct them appropriately
•File, scan, and organize documents and records
•Enter and update data in spreadsheets and systems
•Sort and distribute incoming and outgoing mail
•Order and restock office supplies
•Schedule appointments and maintain calendars
•Support staff with copying, mailing, and other clerical tasks
For a detail-driven role centered on accurate data entry, records, and document management with administrative support.
Administrative / Data-Entry Clerk Job Description
ADMINISTRATIVE / DATA-ENTRY CLERK JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Admin Lead)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Administrative / Data-Entry Clerk to accurately enter
and maintain our records and to support the office with administrative tasks. The
role focuses on data accuracy, document management, and clerical support, ideal
for a detail-driven person who likes organized, focused work.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Enter data accurately into spreadsheets and systems
•Verify, clean, and update existing records
•Maintain organized digital and paper files
•Prepare and format documents and reports
•Process forms, invoices, or orders as assigned
•Respond to data and record requests
•Support general administrative and clerical tasks
•Protect the confidentiality of sensitive information
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Fast, accurate typing and data-entry skills
•Proficiency with spreadsheets and office software
•Strong attention to detail and accuracy
•Organized, focused, and dependable
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Front Office Clerk (Clinic / Practice)
For a clinic or practice front desk: check-in, scheduling, and paperwork, with patient privacy built in.
Front Office Clerk Job Description (Clinic / Practice)
FRONT OFFICE CLERK JOB DESCRIPTION (CLINIC / PRACTICE)
Practice: __ ([medical / dental] office)
Location: __
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Practice Owner)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Front Office Clerk to manage our front desk and keep
patient flow smooth. You will check patients in and out, answer phones, schedule
appointments, handle paperwork, and support the office, all while protecting
patient privacy. A friendly, organized person who is comfortable with people is
ideal for a small practice.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet and check in patients or clients
•Answer phones and schedule appointments
•Verify and update patient or client information
•Collect forms, copays, and paperwork
•Maintain accurate records and files
•Handle incoming and outgoing communication
•Protect patient privacy and confidential information
•Support the office team with clerical tasks
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Friendly, professional, customer-facing manner
•Basic computer and scheduling-software skills
•Organized and detail-oriented
•Front-desk or healthcare experience a plus
PRIVACY NOTE (healthcare settings)
In a medical or dental office, this role handles protected health information, so
plan for HIPAA privacy training and confidentiality expectations as part of
onboarding. This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Skills and Requirements
Office clerk roles start from a high school diploma and basic computer skills, with reliability and organization mattering more than formal credentials. Scale the requirements to the version and level.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Computer skills
Word processing, spreadsheets, email; typing speed for data entry
Core skills
Organization, attention to detail, communication
Experience
Often not required for entry-level; two or more years for senior
Setting-specific
Customer-facing manner and scheduling software for front office
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly; overtime over 40 hours a week
Keep the posting neutral and job-related, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Is an Office Clerk Exempt or Non-Exempt?
Non-exempt, in nearly all cases. This is the compliance point small employers most often get wrong, so it is worth stating plainly in the posting.
Routine Clerical Work Is Not Exempt
The FLSA administrative exemption requires that the primary duty be office work directly related to management or general business operations and include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. A clerk following set procedures usually fails that test, so office clerks are typically non-exempt and owed overtime over 40 hours a week. Job titles do not decide exemption; duties and pay do. This is general information, not legal advice.
Classify by the actual duties and pay rather than the title, and remember that some states, including California and New York, set higher minimum wages and stricter overtime rules. The exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain how the test applies.
Office Clerk Pay
Office clerks are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, industry, and experience. Set your range using government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market.
Median $20.97 an Hour (BLS)
General office clerks had a median hourly wage of $20.97 in May 2024, about $43,620 a year at full-time hours, with the lowest 10 percent under $14.00 and the highest 10 percent over $30.69 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Commercial sources tend to cluster lower, around $16 to $22 an hour, reflecting the entry-level nature of much of the hiring.
Entry-level clerks sit toward the lower end of that band and senior or specialized clerks toward the upper end. The occupation is projected to decline about 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, yet about 282,400 openings are projected each year, almost all to replace people who move on, so a competitive, transparent pay range helps a small employer attract reliable candidates. National compensation surveys are a useful cross-reference for local detail.
Hiring an Office Clerk for a Small Business (No HR)
For a small business, hiring an office clerk is a recurring job that pairs a common, entry-level role with a lean, often HR-free team. Here is what actually matters, and where an HR tool helps.
You are the owner or office manager hiring your first clerk, with no HR department
Office clerk is one of the most common small-business hires, and almost every published template is written for a generic large employer rather than the person actually doing the hiring. In a small business, the owner or an office manager writes the posting, screens applicants, and onboards the new clerk, usually between everything else they do. The general office clerk occupation is one of the largest in the country, with about 2.6 million jobs, and it is hired across nearly every industry, concentrated in medical and dental offices, schools, law firms, real estate, construction, and small retail. The small-business version of the template above is written for exactly that reality: the clerk wears many hats, supports the whole team, and is hired directly by the owner. Pick that version, fill in the brackets, and post.
Office clerk is hourly and non-exempt, and getting the classification wrong is costly
The single compliance point that matters most for this role is overtime classification, and small employers get it wrong all the time by assuming a salaried clerk is exempt. Routine clerical work generally does not meet the FLSA administrative exemption, which requires that the primary duty be office work directly related to management or general business operations and include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on significant matters. A clerk following set office procedures usually fails that test, so office clerks are typically non-exempt and entitled to overtime at one and a half times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a week, no matter how they are paid. Classify by the actual duties and pay rather than the title, and remember that some states set higher minimum wages and stricter overtime rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
This is a high-turnover role, so you will hire and onboard for it again and again
Even though the occupation is projected to decline slightly over the decade, there are about 282,400 openings for general office clerks each year, almost all to replace people who move on, which means a small business hires for this role repeatedly. That makes a fast, repeatable hire-to-onboard process worth setting up once. FirstHR fits the people side of that loop for a small business: e-signature for the offer letter, an onboarding wizard and task workflows that assign first-week paperwork and setup the same way every time, document management for the signed offer and records tied to each employee profile, and a self-service portal so the new clerk completes their own forms. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and a quick, repeatable onboarding. Because office clerk turns over often, a smooth process pays off every time you hire.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, hourly pay, schedule, and start date in writing. An offer letter makes the non-exempt, hourly terms clear from the start.
Collect new-hire paperwork
I-9, W-4, direct deposit, and policy acknowledgments, with e-signature so nothing gets lost on a first day.
Run a repeatable first week
Assign the same onboarding checklist every time: systems access, office procedures, and an introduction to the team.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, forms, and any training acknowledgments organized against the employee profile from day one.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new clerk a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small business can run the full process the same way every time. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
How to Write an Office Clerk Job Description
A strong office clerk posting picks the right version, lists the real duties, sets qualifications to the level, and classifies pay correctly. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Pick the version
General, entry-level, senior, small business, data-entry, or front office. Each fits a different hire. Choose the one that matches your role and setting.
2
List the real duties
Group them into front office and phones, filing and records, data and documents, and office support, and pick the ones that match the actual job.
3
Set qualifications to the level
A high school diploma and basic computer skills cover most roles. Keep entry-level flexible and raise the bar for senior or specialized clerks.
4
Classify pay correctly
An office clerk is almost always non-exempt and hourly. Confirm by duties, not title, and benchmark the pay range to your local market.
5
Add EEO and apply steps
Include an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, and a HIPAA note for clinic roles, then bridge into onboarding.
The detail most generic templates skip is the FLSA classification: an office clerk is non-exempt and owed overtime. State it in the posting, classify by duties, and let FirstHR handle the offer, e-signature, and onboarding once you hire.
Key Takeaways
An office clerk handles clerical and administrative work: phones, filing, data entry, mail, and office support, with the mix varying by setting.
Use the version that matches the hire: general, entry-level, senior, small business, data-entry, or front office.
An office clerk is almost always non-exempt and hourly; routine clerical work does not meet the FLSA administrative exemption, so overtime applies.
The federal occupation reports a median wage of $20.97 an hour (about $43,620 a year); commercial sources cluster around $16 to $22 an hour.
It is a high-turnover, entry-level role with about 282,400 openings a year, so small businesses hire for it repeatedly.
Onboarding is where the hire gets finished: the offer, e-signature, new-hire paperwork, and a repeatable first week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an office clerk do?
An office clerk performs a variety of clerical and administrative tasks that keep an office running, including answering and routing phone calls, filing and organizing documents, entering and updating data, sorting mail, scheduling appointments, ordering supplies, and supporting staff with copying, scanning, and correspondence. The role is hands-on and detail-oriented, and the exact mix of duties varies by employer and setting. The federal occupation, 43-9061 Office Clerks, General, describes the work as duties too varied to be classified in any single clerical occupation, which is why the job often combines reception, recordkeeping, and data entry. In a small business, the clerk frequently wears many hats and supports the whole team, while in a clinic or practice the role leans toward front-desk and patient-facing tasks. This page includes general, entry-level, senior, small-business, data-entry, and front-office templates.
What are the typical duties and responsibilities of an office clerk?
Office clerk duties cluster into four areas. Front office and phones: answering and routing calls, greeting visitors, and scheduling appointments. Filing and records: filing, scanning, and organizing documents and keeping paper and digital records current. Data and documents: entering and verifying data, preparing reports and correspondence, and processing forms, invoices, or orders. Office support: sorting and distributing mail, ordering and restocking supplies, and helping staff with clerical tasks. The balance shifts by setting, a data-entry clerk leans on accuracy and records, a front-office clerk on check-in and scheduling, and a small-business clerk on a bit of everything, so a strong job description picks the responsibilities from each area that match the actual role rather than listing every possible task.
Is an office clerk exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
An office clerk is almost always non-exempt and entitled to overtime, and small employers should not assume a salaried clerk is exempt. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the administrative exemption requires that the employee's primary duty be office or non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations and that it include the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. Routine clerical work that follows set office procedures generally does not meet that test, so office clerks are typically non-exempt and must be paid overtime at one and a half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, regardless of whether they are paid hourly or a salary. The Department of Labor is clear that job titles do not determine exemption status; the actual duties and pay do. Classify by duties and pay, and check state rules, which can be stricter. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does an office clerk make?
Office clerks are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, industry, and experience. The federal occupation, 43-9061 Office Clerks, General, had a median hourly wage of $20.97 in May 2024, which is about $43,620 a year at full-time hours, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $14.00 an hour and the highest 10 percent earned more than $30.69 an hour. Commercial salary sources tend to cluster a bit lower, commonly in the range of about $16 to $22 an hour, or roughly $35,000 to $45,000 a year, reflecting the entry-level nature of much of the hiring. Entry-level clerks sit toward the lower end and senior or specialized clerks toward the upper end. For a posting, benchmark to your local market and the experience level you need, and publish a pay range where pay transparency rules apply. National compensation surveys are a useful cross-reference. This is general information, not legal advice.
What qualifications and skills does an office clerk need?
Most office clerk roles require a high school diploma or equivalent, with skills mattering more than formal credentials. The core skills are basic computer proficiency (word processing, spreadsheets, and email), strong organization and attention to detail, clear written and verbal communication, reliability, and the ability to multitask across varied clerical work. Data-entry-focused roles add fast, accurate typing and spreadsheet proficiency, while front-office roles in a clinic or practice add a friendly, customer-facing manner and scheduling-software familiarity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, general office clerks typically need a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job, with training that usually lasts up to a month. Prior office experience is helpful but often not required, which makes this a common entry-level hire. Match the requirements to the level: keep entry-level postings flexible and raise the bar for senior or specialized clerk roles. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small businesses hire office clerks, and who writes the job description?
Yes, small businesses are the primary employers of office clerks, and the owner or an office manager usually writes the job description and runs the hire directly. Small businesses make up the vast majority of US employers, and the office clerk role is hired across nearly every industry, concentrated in medical and dental offices, schools, law firms, real estate, construction, and small retail, most of which do not have a dedicated HR department. For a small business, the practical approach is to use the small-business version of the template, which is written for a clerk who wears many hats and supports the whole team, classify the role as non-exempt and hourly, benchmark pay to the local market, and run a consistent onboarding that captures the offer, paperwork, and first-week setup. Because the role turns over often, setting up a repeatable hire-to-onboard process once pays off each time you hire. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between an office clerk and an administrative assistant?
They overlap but differ in scope and seniority. An office clerk performs routine clerical tasks, filing, data entry, answering phones, sorting mail, and general office support, usually following set procedures with limited independent decision-making. An administrative assistant typically takes on broader and more independent responsibilities, such as managing calendars and travel, coordinating projects, drafting communications, and supporting one or more managers directly, often with more discretion. In a small business the lines blur and one person may do both, but the distinction matters for the posting and for pay: an administrative assistant role generally commands higher pay and may, depending on actual duties, come closer to the administrative exemption, though most assistant roles are still non-exempt. Match the title and the duties to the work you actually need, and confirm overtime classification by duties rather than title. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should an office clerk job description include?
A strong office clerk job description names the setting and reporting line up front, includes a short company summary and a job summary that frames the clerical and administrative scope, and groups responsibilities into front office and phones, filing and records, data and documents, and office support. It should list the required qualifications honestly, a high school diploma, basic computer skills, organization, and reliability, and scale them to the level. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the FLSA non-exempt, hourly classification, a realistic pay range benchmarked to your market, and, for clinic or practice roles, a HIPAA privacy note. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions, then bridge into onboarding once a candidate accepts. Because office clerk is an entry-level, high-turnover role, a clear and repeatable posting saves time every time you hire. This is general information, not legal advice.
