Kansas City Missouri Police Department Personnel Policy 818 - Duty-Related Injuries PDF

KANSAS CITY MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT DATE OF ISSUE EFFECTIVE DATE NO. PERSONNEL POLICY 05/09/2024 05/09/2024 818-11 SUBJECT...

KANSAS CITY MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT DATE OF ISSUE EFFECTIVE DATE NO. PERSONNEL POLICY 05/09/2024 05/09/2024 818-11 SUBJECT AMENDS Policy Series 800: Member’s Health 818 – Duty-Related Injuries REFERENCE RESCINDS PPBM: Limited Duty PPBM 818-10 PPBM: Missouri Worker’s Compensation Law DM 22-10 RSMo 84.420 I. INTRODUCTION All employees, reserve officers, auxiliary service volunteers, and members of the Board of Police Commissioners (except the Mayor) are covered under the Missouri Workers' Compensation Law. This law ensures prompt and adequate medical treatment and benefit coverage for a duty-related injury and compensation for dependents in the event of a duty-related death. II. TERMINOLOGY A. Department-Authorized Medical Facility - Hospital or other medical facility authorized to provide treatment for duty-related injury. B. Department-Authorized Physician - A physician or medical group authorized to provide treatment for a duty-related injury and approved to perform physical examinations and tests. C. Duty-Related Injury - An injury or accident arising out of and in the course of on-duty employment or which is determined to be appropriate police action while off-duty. This does not include a spontaneous illness or the onset of symptoms from a pre-existing medical condition that occurs during member’s hours of employment. D. Full-Duty Status (Sworn Member) - Ability to perform the full and unrestricted duties of a police officer effectively and safely for an entire tour of duty. E. Full-Duty Status (Non-Sworn Member) - Ability to perform assigned duties effectively and safely for an entire tour of duty. F. Injury Leave - Leave with pay granted for absences related to a duty- related injury or occupational disease. G. Limited-Duty Status - When a medical condition temporarily restricts the performance of the duties and responsibilities of an assigned job classification. III. DEPARTMENT-AUTHORIZED PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES A. The Department’s designated medical provider will provide treatment for non-emergency injuries if the injury occurs during office hours, which are 0800 to 1700 hours, Monday through Friday. If the injury occurs during non-office hours, a Department-authorized medical facility for emergency treatment will be utilized. B. Emergency treatment will be obtained at one of the following Department authorized medical facilities: 1. Research Medical Center, 2316 E. Meyer Boulevard 2. Research Medical Center – Brookside Campus, 6601 Rockhill Road, for minor injuries (they do not admit patients) 3. North Kansas City Hospital, 2800 Clay Edwards Drive 4. University Health, 2300 Holmes 5. St. Joseph Medical Center, 1000 Carondelet Drive C. The final authority on which facility will be utilized rests with the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department’s (KCFD) Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or Medical Control (EMT base station). IV. PROCEDURES *A. Only members of the Employee Benefits Unit are authorized to enter Injury Time (I). B. If physically able to do so, a member will report to their immediate supervisor any duty-related injuries that occurred on-duty or while performing an official act off-duty, as soon as possible, regardless of severity. The member will: 1. Respond to the appropriate Department-authorized medical facility for examination and treatment as soon as practical when medical treatment is required or it is anticipated. Upon arrival, provide Department identification to the medical facility staff. 2. Properly secure all personal articles and Department-issued equipment. If unable to do so, request another member respond to secure the items, or request medical facility staff provide assistance. 2  3. Notify their immediate supervisor, as soon as possible, of all pertinent facts relating to treatment, hospital admission, and release from medical care. C. Any member who responds to the scene of an injured member will: 1. Ensure the injured member is transported to the appropriate authorized medical facility. 2. Notify the injured member's supervisor as soon as practical if the member is unable to make the notification. 3. Notify the injured member's supervisor if the member was injured as a result of performing an official act off-duty. D. The responding supervisor will: 1. Ensure the member is transported to the appropriate authorized medical facility for treatment. 2. Notify the Communications Unit Supervisor any time a member is injured or hospitalized due to a duty-related injury. 3. Immediately notify the Employee Benefits Unit Commander when a member requires hospitalization. 4. Ensure member's personal property and Department-issued equipment are properly secured. 5. Ensure Injury Report, Form 314 P.D., is completed and emailed to [email protected], prior to the end of shift. If the injury is minor and treatment is not required or declined by the member, a notation should be made on the Injury Report. E. The Department-authorized physician and/or referral physician will determine when a member's physical condition prevents a return to full- duty status. Without medical authorization from a Department-authorized physician, time off due to a duty-related injury may be charged as sick leave. F. Treatment will be at the member's expense when the member elects to obtain treatment from a physician or hospital not authorized by the Department. G. When a member receives a medical bill from an authorized medical facility at their residence or any other address for a duty-related injury, they are to forward the billing to the Employee Benefits Unit (EBU) as soon as practical for payment. 3  H. The EBU Commander or Department-authorized physician may refer the member to any physician or hospital for examination and treatment when it is believed that a referral would benefit both the Department and the member. A referral may be made under, but is not limited to, the following situations: 1. When the services of a specialist are required. 2. For a disability rating. 3. When a question or doubt exists as to whether or not the injury is compensable under the Missouri Workers’ Compensation Law. I. If a member sustains an injury that is related to a previous duty-related injury after being returned to duty, the Department-authorized physician will determine whether further treatment is necessary and will verify the injury is directly related to the previous duty-related injury. If this is verified, the member will be granted injury leave for the absence. J. Injury leave or medical treatment will not be granted for any case that has been finalized and concluded under the Missouri Workers’ Compensation Law. V. INJURY LEAVE A. A member may be granted compensation equal to their base salary and may receive any authorized pay allowance or skill pay. *B. If the injured member is not cleared for duty by a Department-authorized physician, the member will be placed on paid time off (EX) by their immediate supervisor or timekeeper and a notice will be sent to Medical [email protected]. EBU personnel will review any documentation as well as the member’s status and will update the member’s timekeeping in these instances. The member’s timekeeping will otherwise remain with the unit of assignment. C. A member will continue to accrue sick leave and vacation leave. A member can request to carry over unused vacation days, due to injury leave, to the next calendar year by submitting an Interdepartment Communication, Form 191 P.D., through the chain. For further information, refer to the current written directive entitled, “Vacation (V) Leave Time.” D. A member will cooperate with any Department investigation and will be required to appear in court in civilian business attire, if determined by the Department-authorized physician to be physically able. Overtime compensation will not be earned unless the member's participation exceeds eight, ten, or eleven hours in any one day. 4  E. A member will be approved for overtime compensation if the member sought treatment at a Department-authorized emergency medical facility and was directed by an emergency room physician to respond to a Department-authorized physician during the next business day for a determination of the member's work capabilities. Overtime will not be approved for any further medical treatment. F. When directed to do so by their immediate supervisor/commander or the EBU Commander, the member will obtain a physician or a nurse practitioner’s note from the Department-authorized physician, outlining date of treatment, diagnosis, and anticipated release from medical care. G. A member will obtain a physician or a nurse practitioner’s note, certifying a return to full-duty or a statement detailing any restriction or limited-duty status. The Department-authorized physician must certify all return-to-duty or limited-duty status after release. 1. If not assigned to the Injury Leave Pool, submit the physician or nurse practitioner’s note to the EBU. 2. If assigned to the Injury Leave Pool, the member will deliver the physician or nurse practitioner’s note directly to the EBU. If authorization to return to full duty is obtained after the normal business hours of the Human Resources Division, contact the EBU Commander or the Human Resources Commander for approval, prior to returning to duty. 3. If certified for limited-duty, the member must accept the limited-duty assignment or be placed on sick leave. For further information, refer to the current written directive entitled, “Limited-Duty.” VI. INJURY LEAVE POOL A. When a member has been on injury leave, or is anticipated to remain on injury leave in excess of twenty-eight consecutive calendar days, a member’s supervisor will forward an Interdepartment Communication, Form 191 P.D., through the chain of command to transfer a member to the pool. B. The member’s unit file will be forwarded to Personnel Records Section upon transfer of a member to the Injury Leave Pool. The EBU will be responsible for all administrative matters pertaining to the member. C. While assigned to the Injury Leave Pool, the member may be granted compensation equal to base salary and may receive college incentive pay, if authorized. Members will not receive other pay allowances or skill pay. For further information refer to the current written directive entitled, “Missouri Workers’ Compensation Law.” 5  D. Upon returning to full-duty, the member will be reassigned according to existing staffing requirements and the member's education, training, and experience. *E. Sworn members who did not qualify during the previous calendar year will not carry a firearm on-duty and will qualify prior to returning to full-duty. The EBU will schedule the members who must qualify prior to returning to full-duty. F. If the member is medically evaluated to be permanently unable to perform the full and unrestricted duties of a police officer from a duty-related injury, the member will be considered for disability retirement. A member assigned to the Injury Leave Pool may be considered for disability retirement based on the Department-authorized physician's findings, or when further treatment would not lead to recovery. Stacey Graves Chief of Police Adopted by the Board of Police Commissioners this 23 rd day of April, 2024. Cathy J. Dean Board President DISTRIBUTION: All Department Personnel Public View Master Index – Internet Department Master Index – Intranet Policy Acknowledgement SyStem (PASS) 6