When a staff member is not provided suitable employment or remains unable to return to work in their original department they are eligible for placement in an alternative position.

Purpose

To provide uniformity in assisting staff with an occupational injury whose medically defined restrictions are permanent or whose temporary restrictions preclude suitable employment within their department.

Placement

All referrals to the Alternate Work Program will be screened for appropriate inclusion in the program with priority given to those referred from the Limited Work Program.

• The Recruitment Office will provide the alternate work participant and the Rehabilitation Coordinator with a listing of job vacancies to include job demands compatible with the participant’s work history, skills and work restrictions.
• An attempt will be made to place staff participating in the Alternate Work Program in existing vacant positions. A staff member will complete an application with the Recruitment Office and become part of the general applicant pool where he or she will be accorded priority consideration equal to that provided laid-off staff. Documentation for non-selection will be required.
• Time spent by the staff member as part of the job search process during scheduled work hours will be considered as time worked. The staff member must coordinate time away from scheduled work with his or her supervisor.
• Staff participating in this program must follow up on all compatible job leads. Failure to comply may be grounds to discontinue participation and/or workers compensation benefits.
• Offers of employment to Alternate Work Program participants must be in writing detailing wage, hours of work, starting date and the job’s physical demands. A copy of this document is to be given to the staff member and another copy forwarded to the rehabilitation coordinator.
• The participant must obtain a Fitness For Duty Release from EOHW before he or she can accept an offer of employment from a new department.

Duration

A staff member's placement in an existing vacant position will be considered regular employment subject to all related policies and expectations.

Monitoring: All staff participating in the Alternate Work Program will be evaluated by the Rehabilitation Coordinator after 60 days and 90 days in their new positions to ensure suitable placement.

All staff with medically defined permanent restrictions must be evaluated by Employee Occupational Health Wellness (EOHW) before subsequent job transfers within Duke. An EOHW practitioner will evaluate the requirements of the proposed jobs to determine whether they are within the medically-defined restrictions of the staff member.