Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Clinical Guide to Mental Disability Evaluations

Abstract

This chapter reviews relevant issues in conducting fitness for duty evaluations. The perspectives of treating clinicians as well as independent forensic evaluators are both considered. Treating clinicians should consider whether they have the requisite experience and training to perform the evaluation; referral to an independent evaluator is often necessary in these evaluations. After obtaining relevant history and conducting one or more clinical interviews, independent mental health fitness for duty evaluators should focus upon specific functional deficits regarding the evaluee’s work. Evaluators should be familiar with relevant professional ethics principles pertinent to conducting fitness for duty evaluations, including informed consent, confidentiality, honesty, objectivity, respect for persons, and professionalism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adler, D.A., McLaughlin, T.J., Rogers, W.H., Chang, H., Lapitsky, L., Lerner, D.: Job performance deficits due to depression. Am. J. Psychiatry 163, 1569–1576 (2006)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aikens, J.E., Kroenke, K., Nease, D.E., Klinkman, M.S., Sen, A.: Trajectories of improvement for six depression-related outcomes. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 30, 26–31 (2008)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law: Ethics guidelines for the practice of forensic psychiatry. American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Bloomfield, CT (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Code of Ethics: Elk Grove Village. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, IL (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Code of Ethics: The personal physician’s role in helping patients with medical conditions stay at work or return to work. Elk Grove Village. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dec 11, IL (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychology-Law Society/American Psychological Association: Specialty guidelines for forensic psychology. http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/forensic-psychology.aspx. Accessed 5 Aug 2012

  • Bearden, C.E., Shih, V.H., Green, M.F., et al.: The impact of neurocognitive impairment in occupational recovery of clinically stable patients with Bipolar Disorder: A prospective study. Bipolar Disord. 13, 323–333 (2011)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, H., Eisen, R., Webster, C.D.: Employment Risk Assessment-20. Workplace Calm, Toronto (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • Borum, R., Super, J., Rand, M.: Forensic assessment for high-risk occupations. In: Goldstein, A.M. (ed.) Handbook of Psychology, vol. 11, pp. 133–147. Wiley, NJ (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, A., Hagen, S.E., Sathyanarayanan, S., et al.: Presenteeism: Critical issues. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 52, 1055–1067 (2010)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan, A., Norko, M.A. (eds.): The Psychiatric Report: Principles and Practice of Forensic Writing. Cambridge University Press, New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, P.P., Arikan, A., Pinals, D.A., et al.: Evaluating psychiatric disability: Differences by forensic expertise. J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 39, 183–188 (2011)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, P.P., Boland, R.J., Recupero, P.R., et al.: Psychiatric residents’ experience conducting disability evaluations. Acad. Psychiatry 34, 211–215 (2010)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comtois, K.A., Kerbrat, A.H., Atkins, D.C., et al.: Recovery from disability for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder: A feasibility trial of DBT-ACES. Psychiatric Serv. 61, 1106–1111 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagiolini, A., Kupfer, D.J., Masalehdan, A., et al.: Functional impairment in the remission phase of Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disord. 7, 281–285 (2005)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, L.H.: The workplace. In: Simon, R.I., Gold, L.H. (eds.) Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry, 2nd edn., pp. 303–336. American Psychiatric Publishing, Washington (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gold, L.H., Anfang, S.A., Drukteinis, A.M., et al.: AAPL practice guideline for the forensic evaluation of psychiatric disability. J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 36, S3–S50 (2008)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, L.H., Metzner, J.L.: Psychiatric employment evaluations and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Am. J. Psychiatry 163, 1878–1882 (2006)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, L.H., Shuman, D.W.: Evaluating Mental Health Disability in the Workplace: Process, Model, and Analysis. Springer, New York (2009)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Granacher, R.P.: Employment: Disability and fitness. In: Buchanan, A., Norko, M.A. (eds.) The Psychiatric Report, pp. 172–186. Cambridge University Press, New York (2011)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gutheil, T., Simon, R.I.: Avoiding bias in expert testimony. Psychiatric Ann. 34, 260–270 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasin, D.S., Stinson, F.S., Ogburn, E., et al.: Prevalence, correlates, disability, and comorbidity of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence in the United States. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 64, 830–842 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, K., Warren, J., Picarello, K.: Third party information in forensic assessment. In: Goldstein, A.M. (ed.) Handbook of Psychology, vol. 11, pp. 69–86. Wiley, NJ (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, H., Russo, J., Von Korff, M., et al.: The effect of changes in depressive symptoms on disability status in patients with diabetes. Psychosomatics 53, 21–29 (2012)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, N., Baldessarini, R.J.: Disability and its treatment in Bipolar Disorder patients. Bipolar Disord. 9, 183–196 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kausch, O., Resnick, P.J.: Risk assessment for violence: A clinical approach. Directions Psychiatry 23, 55–63 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann-Wrobel, M.C., Carreno, J.T., Dickinson, D.: Meta-analysis of neuropsychological functioning in euthymic Bipolar Disorder: An update and investigation of moderator variables. Bipolar Disord. 13, 334–342 (2011)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mischoulon, D.: An approach to the patient seeking psychiatric disability benefits. Acad. Psychiatry 23, 128–136 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • Piechowski, L.D.: Evaluation of Workplace Disability. New York, Oxford (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Piechowski, L.D., Drukteinis, A.M.: Fitness for duty. In: Drogin, E.Y., et al. (eds.) Handbook of Forensic Assessment, pp. 571–591. Wiley, NJ (2011)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rai, D., Skapinakis, P., Wiles, N., et al.: Common mental disorders, subthreshold symptoms and disability: Longitudinal study. Br. J. Psychiatry 197, 411–413 (2010)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rappeport, J.: Differences between forensic and general psychiatry. Am. J. Psychiatry 139, 331–334 (1982)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, N.T.: A model comprehensive psychiatric fitness-for-duty evaluation. Occup. Med.: State Art Rev. 17, 105–118 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, R.I., Wettstein, R.M.: Toward the development of guidelines for the conduct of forensic psychiatric examinations. J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 25, 17–30 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, A.V.: Fitness for duty: Principles, methods, and legal issues. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • Strasburger, L., Gutheil, T.G., Brodsky, A.: On wearing two hats: Role conflict in serving as both psychotherapist and expert witness. Am. J. Psychiatry 154, 448–456 (1997)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Talmage, J.B., Melhorn, J.M., Hyman, M.H.: AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Work Ability and Return to Work (2nd ed). American Medical Association, Chicago (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S., Wald, J., Asmundsom, G.: Factors associated with occupational impairment in people seeking treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Can. J. Community Mental Health 25, 289–301 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolman, R.M., Himle, J., Bybee, D., et al.: Impact of Social Anxiety Disorder on employment among women receiving welfare benefits. Psychiatric Serv. 60, 61–66 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VandenBos, G.R., Bulatao, E.Q. (eds.): Violence on the Job: Identifying Risks and Developing Solutions. American Psychological Association, Washington (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • Waghorn, G., Chant, G., Jaeger, J.: Employment functioning and disability among community residents with Bipolar Affective Disorder: Results from an Australian community survey. Bipolar Disord. 9, 166–182 (2007)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wald, J.: Work limitations in employed persons seeking treatment for chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J. Trauma. Stress 22, 312–315 (2009)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, L.J., Mullen, P.E., Ogloff, J.: A clinical study of those who utter threats to kill. Behav. Sci. Law 29, 141–154 (2011)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wettstein, R.M.: The forensic psychiatric examination and report. In: Simon, R.I., Gold, L.H. (eds.) Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry, (2nd edn.), pp. 175–203. American Psychiatric Publishing, Washington (2010)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburg, 401 Shady Avenue Suite B103, Pittsburg, PA, 15206, USA

    Robert M. Wettstein

Authors
  1. Robert M. Wettstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert M. Wettstein .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University School of Medicine, N. Glebe Rd. 2501, Washington, DC, 22207, Vermont, USA

    Liza H. Gold

  2. PRMS, Inc., Risk Management, Wilson Blvd #700 1401, Arlington, 22209, Virginia, USA

    Donna L. Vanderpool

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wettstein, R.M. (2013). Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations. In: Gold, L., Vanderpool, D. (eds) Clinical Guide to Mental Disability Evaluations. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5447-2_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation