Return to Work from Extended Illness or Injury - November 2007 Revision

This procedural directive was reviewed and revised in October 2011. We provide this revision for historic purposes only.

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: Nov. 22, 1995
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Revised: January, 2002
Revised: February 2005
Revised: March 2005
Revised: October 2005
Revised: November 2007

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.