Fitness for duty evaluations, which are often referred to as fit for duty assessments or by the acronym FFDE, are a form of psychological assessment utilized to determine when an employee can safely return to work after an accident, injury, or traumatic event. An FFDE may also be utilized in a variety of other situations to ensure employees are able to receive the support and resources they need to perform efficiently and effectively in a safe and supportive workplace. On this page, you can learn more about the process of psychological fitness for duty evaluations offered at the Northern Colorado Assessment Center.
What Is a Fitness for Duty Evaluation?
The FFDE is a unique type of psychological assessment that is utilized to evaluate an employee’s emotional and mental health. Unlike other types of assessment that are designed to be comprehensive and evaluate all areas of an individual’s life, the FFDE is developed to assess a person’s mental and emotional wellbeing as it directly relates to employment. In most cases, fit for duty exams are required by the employer or legally mandated. However, individuals may request an FFDE if they are in need of legal documentation of their mental state as part of an employer lawsuit, human resources review, or other employment evaluation.
When Is an FFDE Needed?
An employee is usually referred for an FFDE to ensure their mental and emotional stability, ability to make decisions, and propensity for performing job duties effectively. We often provide FFDEs in the following situations:
- Hiring evaluation – prior to beginning a career in certain fields, a pre-employment FFDE may be required. This is common in professions that involve high levels of stress, security clearance, or other potential risk factors.
- Return-to-work – following an on-the-job accident, workplace violence, suspension, or other event, an FFDE may be required to ensure the employee is ready to return to the workplace.
- Reasonable cause evaluation – when employees have conduct, performance, interpersonal, or other workplace struggles, a reasonable cause evaluation may be required. The goal of these exams is to ensure the employee is mentally and physically able to perform their job safely.
- Periodic evaluation – for employees in the health field, first responders, pilots, and those in other high stress careers, periodic psychological fitness assessments may be required to ensure the individual continues to retain their ability to perform their duties effectively.
- Promotion evaluation – when an employee is being considered for a promotion, employers may require an assessment to ensure the person is able to manage increased pressure, greater levels of responsibility, and higher demands.
Legal & Employee Rights
The assessment psychologists at the Northern Colorado Assessment Center uphold all state and federal regulations and laws, including compliance with the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While employers have the right to require these types of evaluations, the employee also has rights in this process. Specifically, the employee has a right to:
- Confidentiality – depending on the specific parameters outlined and agreed to by the employee and employer, the employee retains the right to confidentiality of medical and psychological information. In most cases, these details are disclosed to authorized personnel, and a summary with only those details relevant to the job or that directly answer referral questions is provided to the employer.
- Informed consent – prior to scheduling and undergoing an FFDE, the employee should be given complete information about why the evaluation is taking place and what the implications are related to the results.
- Due process – while employers usually require the FFDE, the employee should be given a way to review and contest the results.
- Equality – all employees should be treated fairly and given equal rights, so all employees in the situation that triggered the FFDE should also be required to receive an FFDE.
- Right to representation – if you believe your employer’s request is unethical or in some way infringes on your rights, legal or union representation may be obtained. Additionally, employees can usually request a second opinion if they disagree with the findings of the evaluation and the resulting career impact.
What Happens During an FFDE?
When an employee is referred to our practice for an FFDE, we begin by carefully reviewing the referral documentation from the employer. Each situation is unique, but all referrals should include the employee’s job description and performance standards, any specific referral questions or reasons (pre-employment, return-to-work, etc.), proof that the referral is in compliance with all laws and employment policies, and any additional documentation related to the individual’s job performance.
Following a review of the referral, one of our knowledgeable assessment professionals will reach out to schedule an intake interview. During this introductory session, we’ll go over the referral and what can be expected. From there, your psychologist will develop a personalized assessment plan that may incorporate a range of evaluative tools, including clinical interviewing with the employee and supervisors, rating scales, and a psychological testing battery. The goal of our assessment process is always to answer referral questions while being thorough enough to provide insight for greater awareness and understanding of the individuals we assess. Finally, a written report of the findings will be compiled and provided to the authorized personnel, and in most cases, the employee will receive a copy of the report as well unless they agree to forego a review of the findings.
If you’re an employer or employee interested in learning more about fitness for duty evaluations in Fort Collins, Colorado, don’t hesitate to reach out to the trusted Northern Colorado Assessment Center team over the phone at (970) 825-0481 or using our online contact form.