| Temporary
Duty Program Policy and Procedure
1.0.
PURPOSE
1.1
The purpose of the Temporary Duty Program
is to temporarily place employees who have sustained
work-related injuries, in positions consistent with
the medical restrictions prescribed by an authorized
treating physician. Ideally, the employee will work
within his or her own department. However, it may
become necessary to place the employee in another
department or shift to accommodate their medical needs.
1.2
The goal of the program is to promote psychological
recovery and to minimize lost time by encouraging
appropriate levels of activity for injured employees.
1.3
Risk Management will be responsible for
administering the Temporary Duty Program.
2.0.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
2.1
Departments may request temporary duty assistance
by submitting the Request
for Temporary Duty Assistance to Risk Management.
2.2
Departments should be innovative in developing
and assigning meaningful tasks which will allow the
employee to utilize his/her experience, education
and physical capability.
2.3
The temporary duty employee's home department
is responsible for all expenses associated with the
employee for the duration of their temporary duty
status.
2.4
It is the responsibility of the employee
to adhere to the temporary limitations identified
by his/her authorized treating physician.
2.5
The supervisor of the assigned department
is responsible for ensuring that employees in temporary
duty assignments work within the identified medical
restrictions.
2.6
The employee's work schedule, leave, etc.,
will be coordinated by the supervisor of the assigned
department.
2.7
The supervisor of the temporary duty employee
will be responsible for submitting time sheets to
his/her home department. If the employee is assigned
to more than one department, the supervisor from each
department must submit a time sheet to the employee's
home department.
2.8
The supervisor of the assigned department
will be responsible for completing the Temporary
Duty Employee Performance Evaluation , which will
be used to support the employee's personnel evaluation.
The evaluation form is required only if the employee
is assigned temporary duty under a different supervisor.
2.9
The duration of the temporary duty assignment
may range from one day to a maximum of twelve weeks,
unless otherwise approved by Risk Management. Temporary
duty assignments may be used in conjunction with FMLA.
3.0.
TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT
3.1
Risk Management will maintain a list of
available temporary duty positions requested by departments.
3.2
Once the physician assigns an employee to
temporary duty status, the employee must submit a
copy of the Physical Capacity Evaluation Form to Risk
Management (via fax). The employee or the employee's
supervisor may call Risk Management the next working
day for a temporary duty assignment. Exceptions would
be those employees who are capable of performing in
their regular duty assignment or department, with
accommodations being made by their home department.
3.3
Risk Management, under the advisement of
the adjuster, authorized treating physician and/or
rehabilitation professional, will assign the employee
to a temporary position which meets the employee's
medical restrictions. Consideration will be given
to the employee's home department, assignment, shift,
etc. However, if temporary duty cannot be arranged
within the employee's home department, the employee
will be assigned to a different department, if available.
3.4
The temporary duty employee has an obligation
to adhere to the policies of the assigned department.
If the employee's work habits are not conducive to
the overall effectiveness of the assigned department,
then the assigned supervisor may request that the
temporary employee be placed elsewhere. This request
must be submitted to Risk Management in writing.
3.5
If an employee chooses not to work in an
assigned temporary duty position within the medical
restrictions prescribed by the authorized treating
physician, then indemnity benefits will not be paid.
3.6
Risk Management is responsible for notifying
the employee's home department of the employee's temporary
placement and providing updates regarding changes
in the employee's medical restrictions.
4.0.
RETURNING TO FULL DUTY
4.1
Once the authorized treating physician releases
the employee to full duty, the employee must return
to his/her home department with the Return to Work
authorization. The home department is responsible
for notifying Risk Management before the next working
day by faxing a copy of the Return to Work authorization.
Risk Management will inform the assigned department
of the employee's change in work status.
4.2
Florida worker's compensation law does not
require the County to hold the injured employee's
position until he/she can return to work. Employees'
whose injury constitutes a "serious health condition"
as defined in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
and is on leave will be placed on FMLA for up to twelve
weeks. If an employee is unable to return to full
duty at the end of FMLA, a maximum of twelve weeks
of temporary duty will be offered to transition the
employee back into the workplace. Employees ineligible
for FMLA will be granted up to twelve weeks of temporary
duty.
4.3
While assigned to temporary duty, Risk Management
will obtain status reports from the authorized treating
physician. If the physician determines that the employee
is unable to return to his/her permanent position,
Risk Management will request that a rehabilitation
professional perform a job accommodation analysis
or a transferable skills analysis. Based on this analysis,
the County will assist the employee with obtaining
a position which meets his/her skill level and medical
limitations.
4.4
In the event the employee's permanent restrictions
meet the ADA requirements, the County, upon the employee's
request, will make reasonable accommodations for the
employee's placement based on a job accommodation
analysis performed by a rehabilitation professional.
4.5
If the County cannot accommodate employees
who have received permanent restrictions, Human Resources
will work in collaboration with Civil Service and
a rehabilitation professional to determine a position
which is appropriate for his/her skill level and medical
limitations.
4.6
As an incentive to departments to hire permanently
restricted employees that cannot return to their former
position, Risk Management will reimburse the hiring
department for six weeks salary and up to $3,000.00
for training and ergonomic equipment that may be needed
to accommodate the employee's restrictions. Reimbursement
will be made upon request for placement of employees
with permanent restrictions in a full time permanent
position outside of the home department.
5.0.
DEFINITIONS
5.1
ADA - American with Disabilities Act
- a civil rights bill giving individuals with disabilities
protection from discrimination in employment and in
access to commercial facilities, transportation, telecommunications,
and state and local governmental services.
5.2
Assigned Department - department
where injured employee is placed pending full medical
release to job of injury.
5.3
Authorized Treating Physician - physician
who is authorized by the County's Managed Care Provider
to provide treatment to County employees.
5.4
Home Department - department in which
employee was hired. In most instances, the department
where the employee worked at time of injury.
5.5
Indemnity Benefits - cash benefits
paid to an injured worker to replace part of wages
lost as a result of a work injury.
5.6
Job Accommodation Analysis - an analysis
of a position which attends to any specific work station
modification that would allow someone to do their
job.
5.7
Rehabilitation Professional - person
certified and approved by the State of Florida in
the field of disability management.
5.8
Return to Work Authorization - written
authorization, from the authorized treating physician,
allowing the injured employee's return to duty.
5.9
Temporary Duty Assignment - temporary
job assignment which meets the medical restrictions
as prescribed by an authorized medical physician.
Assignment is not to exceed six months.
5.10
Transferable Skills Analysis - an
analysis of the injured employee's past employment
skills which would allow a transfer to new employment.
5.11
Physical Capacity Evaluation Form
- notification from the authorized treating physician
which outlines the medical limitations of the injured
employee.
6.0.
FORMS
6.1
Forms cited in the policy are attached for
your use.
6.1.1
Request
for Temporary Duty Assistance Form
6.1.2
Temporary
Duty Employee Performance Evaluation Form
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