[Adopted 9-25-2002 by Ord. No. 17-2002; amended in its entirety 12-10-2003 by Ord. No. 24-2003]
It is the purpose of this policy to establish
the authority for transitional duty assignments and procedures for
granting transitional duty to police personnel within the agency.
Use of transitional duty can provide employees
with an opportunity to remain productive while convalescing as well
as provide a work option for employees who may otherwise risk their
health and safety or the safety of others by remaining on duty when
physically unfit for their regular assignment. Therefore, at the approval
of the City Physician, based upon the medical condition of the employee,
police personnel on work-related or non-work-related injury leave
may receive preliminary medical approval to return to duty for the
purpose of temporarily performing transitional duties commensurate
with their position's normal requirements for a period not to exceed
six months. The City Physician may give preliminary medical approval
to grant a single six-month extension of transitional duty pending
further evaluation. Transitional duties will never be permitted to
exceed more than one year.
A.
Upon notification from the Workers' Compensation Case
Manager and/or employee's physician, the Police Chief may, in his
discretion based upon staffing needs, complete a written request form
to the Mayor and City Administrator for the employee. Said request
will be accompanied by a medical doctor's note detailing the employee's
limitation and the range of physical activity the employee is capable
of performing;
B.
Transitional duty positions shall be solely available
at the discretion of the Mayor and shall be based upon staffing needs
as determined by the Mayor after consultation with the Chief of Police;
C.
If the employee has scheduled a cosmetic surgery,
he or she is not eligible for transitional duty assignments;
D.
If the employee is out of work for mental health reasons,
he or she is not eligible for transitional duty assignments;
E.
The following skills are necessary to perform transitional
duty assignments within the Police Department:
(1)
Utilize computer keyboard, CRT screen and typewriter;
(2)
Ascend/descend stairs for some tasks;
(3)
Sit or stand for extended period of time for some
tasks;
(4)
Maintain mental alertness;
(5)
Understand and follow orders, policies and procedures;
(6)
Accept direction and function cooperatively;
(7)
Communicate effectively and coherently using telephone
or radios, or when initiating or responding to verbal communications;
(8)
Read and comprehend legal and nonlegal documents,
including the preparation and processing of such documents as summons,
affidavits and warrants;
(9)
Exercise independent judgment.
A.
The police employee's medical doctor shall provide
a transitional duty descriptive narrative detailing the range of physical
activity the police employee is capable of performing. The City Physician
will evaluate the descriptive narrative and make a recommendation
to the City. The final decision to allow a Police Department employee
to perform transitional duty shall be at the sole and absolute discretion
of the City and shall be based upon the needs of the Department and
the availability of appropriate tasks to be performed at that time.
B.
A police employee returning from an authorized work-related
or non-work-related injury leave must first obtain a medical authorization
from the City-approved physician recommending a return to duty. A
specimen of such authorization is attached hereto.[1] Under no circumstance shall a police employee be allowed
to return to work without a certificate.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said attachment is on file
in the City offices.
C.
In the event of a disagreement between the City's
Physician and the employee's physician with respect to his/her ability
to return to transitional duty, the two physicians shall select a
mutually agreed upon physician to resolve the issue and whose decision
shall be final and binding.
