RETURN TO WORK FROM EXTENDED ILLNESS OR INJURY
Employees returning to work following a
potentially disabling injury, major surgical procedure, or after an absence of
ten (10) or more consecutive days due to illness should be aware of the
following procedures.
Definitions
Potentially
disabling
A potentially disabling injury is one, which
prevents an employee from performing the essential functions of his/her job,
with or without reasonable accommodation on a long-term basis.
Limited Duty
Limited duty is a temporary assigned
responsibility within the current medically documented physical limitations of
the employee. A limited duty assignment will not extend past 90 calendar days.
APS will make limited duty assignments wherever a need exits within the District.
Returning
To Work from Non-work Related Injury or Illness
For non-work related injuries, illness or
surgical procedures:
1. The
employee must report to the leaves clerk in APS Human Resources.
2. The employee must bring the
APS Human Resources Return to Work Certificate
form completed and signed by
his/her treating physician.
3. If there are no physical limitations, the employee is
reinstated immediately.
4. If there are physical limitations/restrictions, the
leaves clerk sends the employee
to the appropriate staffing
consultant.
5. If the restrictions are temporary, then the employee
is reinstated immediately. The staffing consultant contacts the supervisor to
inform him/her of the restrictions. The
employee also takes a copy of the restrictions to the supervisor. Temporary restrictions must be for 90 days or
less.
6. Once the temporary restrictions are lifted, then the
employee brings another Return to Work Certificate to Human Resources for final
clearance.
7. If the restrictions are permanent, then the staffing
consultant gives a copy of the job description to the employee who would take
it to the treating physician who can determine what kind of accommodations the
employee may need in order to meet the minimum job requirements based upon the
type of injury so as not to
pose a risk of re-injury.
8. The employee then returns to Human Resources to
determine if accommodations
can be made with or without a
504 accommodation plan. If the employee
wishes
to request a 504 plan, then
he/she would go to the Equal Opportunity Services
Department to make the
request. In the meantime the employee
can go to work
with the temporary
accommodations until there is a response from EOS which
should be done before the 90 day
period.
In determining eligibility of an employee to return to
work, the District reserves the right to refer to other physicians for an
independent medical evaluation.
In the event of conflicting medical recommendations,
APS occupational health physicians will make the final decision regarding an
employee’s return to work.
Returning
to Work after a Work-Related Injury or Illness
See the directive titled Reporting
On-the-Job Injuries.
Cross Ref.: Reporting On-the-Job Injuries
directive, 504/ADA Employment Practices.
APS
Human Resources Return to Work Certificate form
Approved:
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Revised: January, 2002
Revised: February
2005
Revised: March 2005
Revised: October
2005
Revised: November 2007