Fitness for duty tests will help determine whether a worker can perform essential functions of a job without causing injury to himself / herself or other coworkers.

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Fitness for Duty Exam – a Practical Way to
Avoid Heavy Workers’ Compensation Claims
Fitness for duty tests will help determine whether a worker
can perform essential functions of a job without causing
injury to himself / herself or other coworkers.
There are simple ways to avoid risks, though many of us do
not take recourse to those. For instance, employers often
end up paying heavy workers’
compensation claims which could
have been avoided with some
exercise of caution. In many
organizations workers that are not
fit to do the job are recruited at
considerable risk to the employer.
The best way to avoid recruiting
the wrong worker is by conducting
FFD or Fitness for Duty tests.
These tests will help determine whether a worker can
perform essential functions of a job without causing injury
to himself / herself or other coworkers. When employees
have been off work on account of a non-work or work
related illness or condition, FFD can be used as a Return to
Work Evaluation test.
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and
FFD
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The ADA requires employers not to discriminate against a
disabled worker when hiring if he/she is able to do the
essential functions of the job. When thinking of performing
a FFD, employers must consider the following questions:
• Can the worker perform essential functions
• Does the worker have a medical condition that poses a
threat to the health and safety of the worker and
his/her co-workers
If the answer to the above two questions is “yes,” then the
employer can conduct a FFD and find out whether the
worker is ready to work. Employers must also be aware
about the reasonable accommodations in complying with
the ADA. This cannot be overlooked in fitness for duty
exams.
When to Conduct a FFD
As an employer, you can legally perform fitness for duty
exams. Workers’ Compensation laws as well as the Family
and Medical Leave Act allow employers to request an
independent medical opinion regarding an employee’s
fitness for duty. Employers can go ahead with a fitness for
duty evaluation in the following scenarios.
• When a worker is off work for more than five days
• If the worker has a physical or mental condition that
could affect his/her performance
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• In case of a job transfer to evaluate whether the
worker can meet the essential job functions.
Physical Exam and Comprehensive Medical
Record Review Part of FFD Test
Fitness for duty exam involves a detailed physical exam of
the employee and a comprehensive medical record
review. Employers can utilize tests such as cardiovascular
stress testing, functional capacity testing, alcohol and drug
testing, job site analysis and other specialized testing to
make a thorough and accurate evaluation. They can also
consider holding discussions with a treating physician.
In Workers’ Compensation cases, accurate medical
documentation is important. Accurate review of the
medical records is necessary to substantiate the diagnosis of
the employee’s physical or mental conditions. The medical
professional conducting the fitness for duty exam needs all
the information available to arrive at a correct decision. It is
seen that very often what the employee says and what the
medical records reveal may vary. This only reinforces the
need for unbiased and unambiguous review of all medical
records. Medical examiners called in to review the
employee’s medical records will find the support of a
reputable medical review company quite beneficial. The
medical record review team comprising medical, legal and
documentation specialists can provide comprehensive
review of the employee’s medical history. This will aid in
understanding all relevant medical aspects and arrive at a
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sensible decision that is right for both the employer and the
employee.
Fitness for duty exams protect both employer and
employee. It allows employers to do everything they can
legally to find out whether an applicant can safely carry out
the physical demands of a particular job, and thereby avoid
the risk of a Workers’ Compensation claim that could have
been avoided. Similarly, it also protects the employee as
well as his/her coworkers from running the risk of a
possible injury.
Posted by MOS Medical Record Review Company
http://www.mosmedicalrecordreview.com/
http://www.mosmedicalrecordreview.com/ 1-800-670-2809