MEDICAL RELEASE: RETURN TO WORK REQUIREMENTS

When you become aware that an employee has been, or is going to be, out of work for a work related or non-work related medical reason for more than 3 consecutive work days, you must immediately notify the Office of Human Resources so that they can provide any necessary Family Medical Leave Act paperwork to the employee.   

• Before the employee is allowed to return to work, the employee will be required to submit a medical release supplied by the employee’s medical provider prior to the expected date of return.

• The medical release, on the medical provider’s letterhead, must contain the following information:

  • Whether the employee may return to work or not

  • Whether the employee will return with or without restrictions, along with details of the accommodation requested

  • Date the employee is released to return to work

  • Authorized signature of the medical provider or his/her designated staff member

• Upon receiving the detailed medical release, the Office of Human Resources will notify the employee’s supervisor that the employee is authorized to return to work.  You may not allow the employee to return to work without either receiving clearance from the Office of Human Resources that the employee may return to work or receiving appropriate medical documentation, as described above, which must be supplied to the Office of Human Resources for the employee’s personnel file.  

• Human Resources must review and approve the medical release prior to the employee returning.
  

NOTE: If an employee who is out of work due to a work related or non-work related medical absence returns to work without Human Resources’ approval of the medical release, that employee must be sent home immediately until the review/approval process is complete, unless the medical documentation releases the employee without any restrictions.

• Medical releases requiring restrictions/accommodations will be discussed between Human Resources, the building administrator and/or supervisor prior to the employee returning, to determine if the restriction(s) can be accommodated.

Human Resources will inform the employee of whether the medical release and the request to return-to-work has been approved or denied. In addition, Human Resources will confirm the return to work date and any accommodations.School administrators are responsible for ensuring the employee adheres to the agreed upon accommodations/restrictions.