Performing Fitness for Duty Evaluations in the Workplace: Avoiding Pitfalls, Best Practices, & Ensuring ADA Compliance

Description

When mental health issues present within an employee in the workplace, it's invaluable to understand best practices for performing an employer requested Fitness for Duty evaluation. To protect all parties involved, it is paramount that the evaluating clinician understand their role in performing Fitness for Duty evaluations. Additionally, understanding the guidelines offered by The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the US Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) can help clinicians ensure that an employee is appropriate and meets criteria for a workplace Fitness for Duty evaluation and avoid potential litigation. This training will help licensed clinicians better understand when a Fitness for Duty evaluation for an established employee is warranted, review ADA and EEOC requirements for performing an evaluation, the importance of the referral call, and best practices for engaging in the Fitness for Duty evaluation.

Learning Objectives

Objective 1 Describe what a Fitness for Duty evaluation is and the reasons why a FFDE may occur.

Objective 2 Differentiate between an employee who has behavioral concerns and poor performance versus an employee who demonstrates the necessary criteria for a FFDE to occur.

Objective 3 Explain best practices in performing a FFDE (what to include in your report, what not to include, importance of the referral call, the evaluating clinician's role in a FFDE).

Objective 4 Explain the guidelines imposed by the ADA and EEOC for performing Fitness for Duty evaluations for an established employee.

Presenter

Rachel Ann Dine, LMHC, LPC, LPCC, CFMHE, CFP

Rachel Ann Dine is licensed as a Professional Counselor in Florida, Virginia, and California. She is a Registered Supervisor for Residents in Counseling in Virginia, Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator, Certified Neuroscience Informed Practitioner, and Certified Forensic Psychometrist. Rachel Ann has worked in the mental health field since 2005 in a variety of settings from crisis hotline, long term residential and acute stabilization psychiatric hospitals, military and family life counseling, emergency department as behavioral health support, and has written evidence-based educational courses on psychiatric disorders for hospital employees. Rachel Ann has owned and operated her mental health private practice, Humanitas Counseling and Consulting, since 2017 and currently works with counseling clients in Virginia and California; and offers select forensic and Fitness for Duty evaluations for Virginia residents and agencies. Since obtaining the CFMHE credential in 2021, Rachel Ann has had the opportunity to provide a multitude of Fitness for Duty evaluations for established employees in various private and state agency settings. She is passionate about providing the highest standard of practice when engaging in the Fitness for Duty evaluation process, consulting with agencies on mental health issues in the workplace, and ensuring that necessary ADA and EEOC guidelines for engaging in the FFDE process are upheld to protect an employee’s rights.

Cost

$15 for NBFE members (i.e., CFMHEs and CFMHE applicants/candidates) and, for members of  our partnering organizations please see Professional Partners for current listing)
$30 for Non-members

Continuing Education Information

ACEP No. 6189

Florida CE Broker Tracking No. 20-1263983

CE Broker Provider No. 50-15823

                               

          

The National Board of Forensic Evaluators (NBFE) has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6189.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  NBFE is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBFE is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.  NBFE maintains responsibility for this program and its content. NBFE is recognized and endorsed by the American Mental Health Counselors Association.

This workshop has been approved for 1.5 general hours with the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, & Mental Health Counseling and the Florida Board of Psychology, CE Broker Tracking # 20-20-1263983 (CE Broker Provider #50-15823).

Click here for NBFE Cancellation/Refund Policy.