61737028.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER TITLE ACCREDITATION Returning to Work / Medical None Clearance Procedures PRIOR REVISIONS 07/09/07, 12/18/2019 PROPONENT UNIT Personnel Services Division ATTACHMENT: NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES 22.9 12/01/1998 10/22/2024 5 I. PURPOSE: This Order defines the responsibilities of members regarding notification and clearance for returning to work after qualifying illnesses or injuries. II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department shall require its members to follow proper and legal procedures when reporting an illness or injury, and to obtain authorized clearance prior to returning to work in a full or limited duty status. III. PROCEDURE: A. Reporting for Duty: Reporting for Duty procedures are fully outlined in General Order 22.8. B. Injury In the Line of Duty: 1. Reporting: Members shall report all on-the-job accidents or injuries to a supervisor, regardless of the apparent lack of severity of the injury. Injuries shall be reported immediately; but, by City policy, no later than 24 hours after the injury occurs. 2. Medical Evaluation: Absent exigent circumstances, members shall consult with a supervisor before proceeding to a health care facility. i. Injuries Not Requiring Immediate or Emergency Hospital Care: a Members may report to Employee Health Services if the injury occurs during office hours or can reasonably wait until Health Services opens. Employee Health Services, when indicated, will authorize further medical attention/treatment. b Members may report to an immediate health care facility (not a hospital) if Employee Health Services is closed.\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT c If no other health care facility is open, the member may be treated at a hospital emergency room. ii. Injuries Requiring Emergency Hospital Care: Members may report to a hospital emergency room, regardless of the time of day, when the injury is severe enough to preclude the initial visit to Employee Health Services or other health care facility. 3. Supervisor Responsibilities: i. City of Gainesville Accident Analysis [green] Form: Completed by the supervisor, in all cases, during the shift on which the accident/injury occurred. The bureau/division/unit timekeeper shall forward the original to the Personnel Division, a copy to Risk Management, and a copy to file. This shall occur preferably the same, but no later than the next business day on which the form was received. ii. IOC Required: When a member is injured in the line of duty and the injury is investigated by an outside agency, the supervisor shall: a Complete an IOC with the following information: 1) The name, address, and phone number of the other parties involved; 2) The name of the employees injured; 3) The date of injury; 4) A list of related criminal charges against the person(s) causing the injury. 5) Related case number(s) of jurisdictional law enforcement agency(ies). 6) The names, addresses, and phone numbers of witnesses. b Forward it, along with a copy of the incident report, if available, via the chain- of-command, to the bureau commander. The bureau commander shall forward it to the Personnel Division commander, who shall forward the information to Risk Management. iii. Photos: Supervisors shall determine if photos of the injured members are needed, and shall ensure the pictures are taken as soon as possible after the injury is sustained. 2\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT C. Reporting To Work After Illness/Injury: This applies to both worker’s compensation and personal illness/injury situations. 1. Required Forms and Procedure: Qualifying injuries and illnesses receiving medical attention must be tracked on the appropriate City/Department medical forms. i. The Gainesville Police Department’s Fitness for Return to Duty Certification Form required for tracking injuries/illnesses may be obtained from the intranet under the forms page. In addition, for convenience of access, the forms are also available on the internet (gainesvillepd.org) under "Employee Services" and "Fitness for Return to Duty Forms". This will assist in situations wherein an attending physician can download and complete the form. a This form is required when an employee is hospitalized for any reason, or has an illness or injury which limits the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job for at least one consecutive work week. b The attending physician/health care professional shall complete and sign the forms. Merely bringing in discharged paperwork is no longer acceptable. c Once the treating physician signs it, Department members shall take it to Employee Health Services (EHS) for the City Occupational Health Nurse's signature and subsequent processing by the Personnel Medical Officer. d Department members shall ensure Employee Health Services makes a copy of the completed form for EHS' records. Department members shall bring the original form to GPD Personnel Medical Officer. ii. The employee shall obtain a completed City of Gainesville Employee Health Services Work Status/Return Authorization Form from E.H.S. and return the form to the Personnel Division. 2. Obtaining Clearance: Employees returning to work after absences due to illness/injury under the following conditions are required to obtain medical clearances as follows: i. Illness or Injury Which Requires Hospitalization: The employee must receive clearance from the attending physician and Employee Health Services. ii. Absent (3) Three or More Consecutive Days Due to Illness or Injury NOT Requiring Hospitalization: The employee must receive clearance from Employee Health Services. Clearance from a physician may also be required. 3\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT iii. Medical treatment or being issued a prescription for medication that would impair safety sensitive activities, such as driving, shooting, mood altering, or decision making. 3. Reporting to the Personnel Division: Employees who are required to obtain medical clearances MUST ALSO report to the Personnel Division prior to returning to work to obtain a duty status/assignment clearance (as outlined above) If the Personnel Division is unavailable the member shall contact the Major. a Depending upon the verification of injury/illness, the Personnel Division will either 1) Classify the employee into the proper job duty status/assignment. 2) Clear the employee for regular duty. b Exception: Employees who have written clearance from an attending physician for returning to work in a restricted duty capacity may be temporarily cleared by the Division/Shift/Unit Lieutenant in the event Employee Health Services and the Personnel Division are closed (i.e. after normal business hours/holidays/weekend) under the following conditions: 1) The injured employee was not prescribed any medications, suffered any injuries, or received any treatment that would impair safety sensitive duties (Examples, driving, shooting, mood altering, or decision making). 2) The authorizing commander must forward the documentation utilized to make the decision to the Personnel Division prior to the start of the next business day (Monday-Friday). 3) Once Employee Health Services and the Personnel Division are available, the employee shall follow the procedures regarding obtaining a medical clearance. 4. “Safety Sensitive” Restriction: Members who are issued a “Safety Sensitive” restriction from Employee Health Services are prohibited from driving department vehicles and cannot work in a uniformed capacity. D. Reporting FMLA Absences: 1. Qualifying Absences: Absences which qualify as FMLA shall be taken at the time of qualification, and not be delayed due to other upcoming/anticipated qualifying absences. 2. Providing Information: A member reporting an FMLA absence is not required to provide the details of the illness or injury to a supervisor (or timekeeper) to whom the absence is reported. 4\