Description: Return to onsite work may raise new risks of cognitive and mental health issues in the workforce, requiring greater scrutiny of adverse behaviors and evaluation of Fitness for Duty. The webinar will offer an interactive discussion of how to recognize emerging risks to employees, staff, or patients due to these issues, how to properly categorize them, triggers for referral to evaluation, and how to reintegrate the employee safely and legally back into the workforce.
Key Take-Aways from the program:
- What is a Fitness for Duty exam and who is responsible for recognizing the need for referral?
- COVID contributors – increased substance use issues, COVID studies on increased cognitive impairments, and increased severity of mental health issues leading to potentially greater risk to the employee or others.
- Responsibilities of employer and red flags for potential referral to an exam, including emerging issues v. rapid onset high-risk behavior and risks to employee, other staff, and patients.
- The legal and clinical pathway to referral for a Fitness for Duty exam.
- Clinical evaluation process and medical privacy.
- Clinical recommendations on medical accommodations and return to work.
- Legal considerations on reintegration into the workforce, and workplace accommodations.