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QUESTION: Is your agency confirming the physical ability of Direct Support Professional employment candidates to lift up to a certain amount of weight as required in their job description? If so, how are you going about it safely to insulate the agency from liability should an injury occur during the test exercise and avoid discrimination claims in the process? Our agency has one of our Physical Therapists shadow an employee. The Physical Therapist creates physicals based on what they observe during the shadow period. One of the agency’s Physical Therapists administers the physical. We have the employee sign the attached forms before receiving the physical (see attached Pre-work Screen Consent Form, Statement of Confidentiality and Post-Offer Questionnaire). *** Our agency uses a clinic for pre-employment drug screens and physicals. The physical is a basic review between the candidate and doctor as to anything that may be of concern per our job description of them performing the job. Our agency either gets a result from the physical with no concerns noted or they refer the candidate to their doctor if there is a potential issue that may prevent them from performing their job duties. We wait until we get a release or restrictions from an applicant’s doctor before determining if we can proceed with or without accommodations. *** Our agency conducts lifting testing as part of the pre-employment physical with our contracted medical office. *** Our agency sends Direct Support Professionals to an offsite medical office to perform a functional exam (includes lifting, grip strength, climbing, pushing, pulling) with a Physical Therapist prior to beginning to work with individuals in our program. This information is a compilation of suggestions, ideas, and opinions shared by INARF Members in response to the featured question. This information should not be considered official interpretation or guidance of State or Federal Policy. Additionally, statements within this document do not necessarily reflect an official position or opinion of INARF.
Our agency has one of our Physical Therapists shadow an employee. The Physical Therapist creates physicals based on what they observe during the shadow period. One of the agency’s Physical Therapists administers the physical. We have the employee sign the attached forms before receiving the physical (see attached Pre-work Screen Consent Form, Statement of Confidentiality and Post-Offer Questionnaire).
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Our agency uses a clinic for pre-employment drug screens and physicals. The physical is a basic review between the candidate and doctor as to anything that may be of concern per our job description of them performing the job. Our agency either gets a result from the physical with no concerns noted or they refer the candidate to their doctor if there is a potential issue that may prevent them from performing their job duties. We wait until we get a release or restrictions from an applicant’s doctor before determining if we can proceed with or without accommodations.
Our agency conducts lifting testing as part of the pre-employment physical with our contracted medical office.
Our agency sends Direct Support Professionals to an offsite medical office to perform a functional exam (includes lifting, grip strength, climbing, pushing, pulling) with a Physical Therapist prior to beginning to work with individuals in our program.