Countywide Job Search (RTW Protocol Approach)

Countywide Job Search (RTW Protocol Approach) Chief Executive Office Risk Management Return To Work Unit

Topics Covered • Departmental Job Search • Purpose and Definition • Countywide Job Search • Purpose and Definition • Voluntary Demotion • Purpose and Definition

Departmental Job Search • PURPOSE and DEFINITION • To return employees to a productive work environment suitable to a position consistent with their knowledge, skills, and abilities while adhering to their work restrictions. • A search for a position at a comparable level within the employee’s department and Countywide should be conducted before a demotion is explored either within the department or in another County department.

Departmental Job Search cont… • The employer or employee may then request a voluntary demotion due to inability to perform their Usual and Customary (U&C) position.

Countywide Job Search • Triggers: • An employee has been found to be permanently precluded from returning to his/her Usual and Customary (U&C) position and a comparable position cannot be located within the employee’s home department. • The employer or employee may then request a voluntary demotion due to inability to perform their U&C position.

Countywide Job Search cont… • Triggers: • This process will be utilized only after all other options have been exhausted.

Countywide Job Search • What Should Occur: • The department should coordinate efforts with the Department of Human Resources in accordance with Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines (PPG 621). • A search for a position at a comparable level within the employee’s department and Countywide should be conducted before a demotion is explored either within the department or in another County department.

Countywide Job Search • What Should Occur: • A department and Countywide job search should be conducted in accordance with the Department of Human Resources’ Policies, Procedures and Guidelines (PPG 621) and no position has been identified.

Countywide Job Search cont… • The necessary documents must be completed to show synopsis of what efforts the department made to include modified/alternative placement, discussions of voluntary demotion with or without supplemental disability allowance (for LACERA contributory plan members), Work Hardening Transitional Assignment (WHTAA), or Conditional Assignment Agreement (CAA).

Voluntary Demotion • PURPOSE and DEFINITION • Once it has been determined that the employee is unable to return to their U&C position and there is no other positions available within the County. • A department and Countywide job search has been conducted in accordance with the Department of Human Resources’ Policies and Procedures Guidelines (PPG 621) and no position has been identified.

Triggers: • The employer or employee may then request a voluntary demotion due to inability to perform their U&C position.

Voluntary Demotion • What Should Occur: • Conduct timely Interactive Process Meetings (IPM’s) to determine the employee’s status; • Offer the employee an opportunity to share/discuss any concerns they may have; • If there are discrepancies with the employee’s medical status, the employee must follow up with the appropriate qualified health care professional for consideration in assessing his/her appropriate placement.

In the Interactive Process Meeting, the following issues should be discussed: • Acknowledge that the employee has been released by their health care professional with permanent work restriction; • Compare the Essential Job Functions (EJF’s) to restrictions then make a collaborative determination of whether employee can perform the essential functions of any other positions with or without an accommodation;

Determine if the employee meets the minimum requirements or has previously held any other position; • If the employee is in a contributory retirement plan (A-D), ensure the employee is aware of the supplemental disability allowance available to employees who desire to continue working even if they are disabled from their usual and customary position.

Discuss Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association’s (LACERA) Supplemental Disability Allowance with employee (in agreement with employee, explore the invitation of subject-matter expert from LACERA), if appropriate; and • Offer the employee a lower-level position in accordance with appropriate civil service rule and follow up with employee and supervisor to ensure there are no problems, and document all interactions.

NOTE: • Conduct a reasonable search within the department for a comparable position and document as appropriate before utilizing PPG 621. A reasonable search should be conducted within the County before offering an employee a voluntary demotion.

NOTE: • A contributory plan member who is found by the LACERA Board of Retirement (BOR) to be permanently incapacitated for the performance of his/her regular job duties, but is capable of performing the duties of another County position may be eligible for Service Connected or Non-Service Connected Disability Salary Supplement. However, employee may opt to accept a lower- paying County position without LACERA Salary Supplement.

QUESTIONS???

Countywide Job Search (RTW Protocol Approach)