Policy Text
Policy
1043Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentLight Duty Assignments - 1Light Duty Assignments
1043.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this general order is to define the Mountain View Police Department's policy
regarding the application and administration of temporary light-or modified-duty assignments for
all employees in cases of either job- or non-job related injury, illness or pregnancy.
On occasion, an injury or illness may preclude a police employee from performing his/her regular
duties. Employees that become pregnant may also be unable to perform regular duties. In
order to avoid a financial hardship upon the employee who might not have sufficient leave
accrued or a hardship upon the Department because of reduced personnel resources, it is the
policy of this Department, in conjunction with the City of Mountain View's Risk Manager, to
consider and evaluate the appropriateness of temporary light-duty assignments for injured, ill or
pregnant employees on a case-by-case basis based on the availability of such an assignment
and organizational needs.
1043.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Temporary Light Duty - A short-tenured assignment not requiring performance of the full range
of duties associated with the regular job classification.
Physician - The employee's treating physician or other physician acceptable to the City of
Mountain View.
Normal Business Day - Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
1043.2 GENERAL
Temporary light-duty assignments may be available to employees who are returning from an
illness or injury or pregnant employees who are unable to perform regularly assigned duties.
There are no permanent light-duty assignments in the Department. No specific position within
the Department shall be established for use as a temporary light-duty assignment, nor shall any
existing position be designated or utilized exclusively for employees on temporary light duty.
Eligibility for a temporary light-duty assignment is subject to the approval of the Police Chief or his/
her designee. Employees with job-related injuries or illnesses will be given priority for temporary
light-duty assignments over employees with non-job-related injuries or illnesses or pregnancy.
The maximum length or any temporary light-duty assignment is six (6) consecutive months.
Those situations involving extenuating circumstances which indicate that a temporary light-duty
assignment be extended beyond six (6) months will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the
Police Chief and Risk Manager and require their approval.
This policy in no way affects the privileges of employees under provisions of the Family and
Medical Leave Act, California Family Rights Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Americans With
Disabilities Act or other Federal or State law, or the current Memorandum of Understandings
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Light Duty Assignments
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentLight Duty Assignments - 2between the Mountain View Police Officers' Association and the City of Mountain View and the
Service Employees' International Union, AFLCIO, Local 715 and the City of Mountain View.
1043.3 PROCEDURE
No temporary light-duty assignment shall be approved or ordered unless the following conditions
exist:
(a)In cases of job-related injuries or illness, the employee is referred to a City of Mountain
View medical provider unless he/she has predesignated a personal physician prior
to the injury or illness. All medical providers must complete a Medical Referral form
(FI-137) upon the initial visit and all subsequent visits of the employee. The Medical
Referral form must legibly note work restrictions by functional activity, frequency,
limitations and time durations.
(b)In cases of non-job-related injury or illness or pregnancy, a statement from the treating
physician must contain an estimate as to the specific date of recovery from the
injury or illness to the extent that the employee can be returned to regular duty or
beginning and end dates during which the employee's work restrictions will apply
while pregnant. Such dates can be adjusted based upon accelerated rehabilitation
or recovery or a prolonged period due to aggravated circumstances. In addition, the
statement must contain specific information about the employee's work restrictions
by functional activity, frequency, limitations and time durations while working in a
temporary light-duty assignment.
(c)The duration of temporary light-duty assignments shall be determined on a case-by-
case basis.
(d)The final approval for temporary light-duty assignments rests with the Police Chief or
his/her designee.
1043.3.1 ADMINISTRATION OF TEMPORARY LIGHT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS
There are two methods to initiate an assignment to temporary light duty:
(a)A request made by the employee most often in cases of non-job-related injury or illness
or pregnancy.
(b)A directive by the Police Chief most often in cases of job-related injury or illness.
In cases where the employee requests temporary light duty, a memorandum shall be prepared
and routed through the employee's chain-of-command and shall either recommend approval or
denial at each level with an appropriate explanation.
In the event an injury or illness occurs on a day other than a normal business day, a supervisor
may assign an employee to temporary light duty until the end of the next business day. At that
time, the process noted above to initiate temporary light duty shall be followed.
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Light Duty Assignments
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentLight Duty Assignments - 3For an employee that has a job-related injury, based on his/her physician