PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this unit order is to clarify time allotted for Industrial Injury appointments.
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This unit order applies to all Facilities Services Bureau (FSB) employees to ensure the proper use of authorized leave relating to Industrial Injury physician and physical therapy appointments.
ORDER:
The established policies and this directive pertain to the use of County time and the proper scheduling of time to visit a physician or physical therapist. It is at the discretion of the Unit Commander to approve time off during the workday. Physician and physical therapy appointments for medical treatment required to cure or relieve a compensable industrial injury or illness will be limited to no more than four (4) hours per day, or eight (8) per week, and are permitted only when the employee has returned to work, and when treatment has been authorized by the Worker’s Compensation Third-Party Administrator.
Once an employee’s injury is declared permanent or stationary, or declared as having reached maximum medical improvement, requested leaves to attend appointments may be permitted, but employees must utilize their own time. There are a few occasions where an employee is allowed a full day to attend appointments. These are for Agreed Medical Examiner (AME), Qualified Medical Examiner (QME), and LACERA medical evaluations due to the length of time it takes to conduct these evaluations.
EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY:
- Schedule all doctor and physical therapy appointments at the beginning or end of their scheduled shift. Four (4) hours at the beginning or at the end of the shift will be allotted on County time, additional time will be the responsibility of the employee.
- Employees are required to provide a time-off request, and a satisfactory medical certification indicating they attended the appointment, which is on official letterhead of the medical provider, and includes the date of injury, physician’s name and signature, telephone number, and time in and time out for each appointment.
- Employees shall work a minimum of four (4) hours (Code 099) on the day of the appointment.
- The maximum of four (4) hours of Code 150 leave per workday will be inclusive of both transportation time and treatment time and shall be authorized and subject to approval by the designated approver.
- It is not the responsibility of the Department to provide employee transportation to and from physician’s or physical therapy appointments.
- Employees are responsible for documenting their Code 150 time used in MAXIMO for medical visits and physical therapy appointments. Employee shall indicate their reason for absence in the memo section of the labor entry field.
SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY:
- Supervisors are to ensure that staff are fully aware of this directive.
- It is the supervisor’s responsibility to obtain copies of employees’ satisfactory medical certifications and submit to the FSB Return to Work Coordinator.
- Supervisors shall verify that the time utilized for medical visits and physical therapy appointments are properly documented in MAXIMO by the employee, upon their return to work.