Oviedo Police Department General Order GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty PDF

OVIEDO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER SUBJECT: Modified Duty AMENDS: None I. II. III. IV. PURPOSE POLICY DEFINITIONS MODIFIED DUTY I. PURPOSE EFFECTIVE DATE: 07-12-2021 APPROVAL: NUMBER: Dale Coleman Chief of Police GO 1-8.0 REFERENCE: City Personnel Policies RESCINDS: None The purpose of this orde...

OVIEDO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER SUBJECT: Modified Duty AMENDS: None I. II. III. IV. PURPOSE POLICY DEFINITIONS MODIFIED DUTY I. PURPOSE EFFECTIVE DATE: 07-12-2021 APPROVAL: NUMBER: Dale Coleman Chief of Police GO 1-8.0 REFERENCE: City Personnel Policies RESCINDS: None The purpose of this order is to clearly establish procedures for how the Oviedo Police Department will accommodate members while they are recuperating from occupational or non-occupational injuries or illnesses. II. POLICY It is the policy of the Oviedo Police Department to make reasonable accommodations for members who are recuperating from an injury or illness that occurred in conjunction (occupational) with their employment with the City when they are unable to perform their full-time or unrestricted duties. Members who are recuperating from an injury or illness that occurred not in conjunction (non-occupational) with their employment with the City are to obtain pre-approval from the Chief of Police and the Human Resources Director prior to being placed into a modified duty status. Oviedo Police Department GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty III. IV. Page 2 of 5 DEFINITIONS A. Occupational Modified Duty: A modification or adjustment in the member’s regular job duties or schedule which goes beyond a reasonable accommodation due to an injury or illness that occurred in conjunction with their employment with the City of Oviedo. B. Non-Occupational Modified Duty: A modification or adjustment in the member’s regular job duties or schedule which goes beyond a reasonable accommodation due to an injury or illness that occurs not in conjunction with their employment with the City of Oviedo. Non-occupational modified duty must be pre-approved by the Chief of Police and the Human Resources Director. MODIFIED DUTY A. Modified duty status may be granted to a department member who is recuperating from an injury or illness and not able to perform their full-time or unrestricted duties. Modified duty status permits the member to continue to work for a limited period of time even though they are unable to perform the full-time unrestricted duties of their current position. B. In accordance with this general order, the Chief of Police in his sole discretion, has the ability to assign department members to a different function within the department in compliance with the member’s treating physician. C. All modified duty assignments must comply with the conditions and limitations outlined in City Personnel Policies. D. The member may be authorized to continue their primary assignment when the injury or illness does not impact the performance of their normal duties. E. Prior to the member beginning the modified duty assignment, the member is required to submit a written request to the Chief of Police via the chain of command, requesting to work in a modified duty status and/or a reduced work schedule. The written request must include a note from the member’s treating physician stating the detailed job duty restrictions or the variance from the member’s regular job description. GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty Oviedo Police Department GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty F. G. Page 3 of 5 The evaluation of modified duty assignment requests will be based on factors including, but not limited to the following: 1. The circumstances for the request; 2. Medical verification of likelihood of return to full-time, unrestricted duty within a reasonable time frame; 3. Operational impact of the continued absence and availability for work; 4. Availability of modified duty assignments and/or reduced work schedule; and/or 5. Other factors as may pertain to the specific request. The following shall apply to all members granted modified duty status: 1. Members will abide by the restrictions placed on them by their physician while they are in a modified duty status. 2. Sworn members as a general rule, will not be authorized to wear their police uniform or duty belt in the course of their duties unless authorized by the Chief of Police. 3. The modified duty manner of dress will be at the discretion of the division Deputy Chief where the modified duty is being performed. 4. Unless prohibited by specific job restrictions listed by the member’s physician, sworn members are authorized to carry a firearm in normal plain clothes fashion or concealed both while on-duty and off-duty. However, they should only take official action with the firearm to protect themselves or another person from imminent death or serious bodily injury. 5. On a case-by-case basis, sworn members may have their arrest powers and privileges to carry a firearm temporarily suspended while they are in a modified duty status. GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty Oviedo Police Department GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty H. Page 4 of 5 6. Any member in a modified duty status who has not had their driving privileges restricted by their physician may, on a case-by-case basis, be authorized to drive a department vehicle by their division Deputy Chief or designee. The member may only drive the department vehicle while on-duty. 7. Members shall be assigned to duties and shifts determined to best benefit the needs of the department. 8. Members will be scheduled for a forty (40) hour work week unless deemed otherwise by the Chief of Police or designee. 9. Members are required to provide weekly updates, or a frequency deemed reasonable by the supervisor regarding their need for modified duty status to their direct supervisor. These updates should include an estimated time when they plan to return to full-duty status. 10. The modified duty assignment may be revoked at any time at the sole discretion of the Chief of Police, and given an alternate assignment, pursuant to the limitations of the treating physician. Normally, members will not be assigned to modified duty status beyond the date that they have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). 11. Prior to returning to a full and unrestrictive duty, the member shall submit a physician’s note stating that they are able to return to full and unrestrictive duty to their immediate supervisor. Members granted modified duty status shall NOT: 1. Participate in any training that would involve activities contrary to the restrictions indicated by the attending physician. Members on restricted duty status are required to attend all in-service training and participate and/or observe in accordance with their medical restrictions. 2. Engage in any off-duty details requiring law enforcement authority. 3. Engage in or continue any outside employment unless approved by the his/her attending physician and the Human Resources Director. 4. Work overtime. GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty Oviedo Police Department GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty I. Page 5 of 5 Members assigned to modified duty status will stay in that status until: 1. They are released to return to unrestricted duty in their regular position; 2. The member has reached maximum medical improvement; 3. The member has been determined to have a permanent total disability rendering him/her unable to perform the essential functions of his/her regular position and is terminated or resigns; 4. The modified duty status has run six (6) months; or 5. At the discretion of the Chief of Police. /s/ DHC ____________________________________ DALE COLEMAN CHIEF OF POLICE 04-01-2021 __________________ DATE GO 1-8.0 Modified Duty