Right to Reinstatement; Rights of Appeal for Disability Separations

Policy Number: 3349-08-86
Effective Date: 09/10/2010
Updated: —
Reviewed: —
Responsible Department: Human Resources
Applies To: Classified Civil Service Employees

A. Purpose

1. To establish a Policy for Reinstatement or Appeals for Disability Separations.

B. Scope

1. This Policy applies to classified civil service employees at the University.

C. Definitions

1. Consult Institution Policy No. 3349‐7‐01.
2. “Active work status” means the conditions under which an Employee is actually in a work status and eligible to receive pay but does not include vacation pay, sick leave, bereavement leave, compensatory time, holidays, personal leave, disability leave and winter break leave.  For purposes of this Policy only, “active work status” does not include those hours worked during a transitional work program or in a temporary part‐time position.

D. Policy Statement

1. An Employee may make a written request to the Appointing Authority for reinstatement from a Disability Separation. An Employee may not make a first request for reinstatement until three months from the date the Employee was no longer in Active Work Status. The Appointing Authority shall notify the Employee of its decision to approve or deny the reinstatement request no later than sixty days after it receives the Employee’s written request. The Employee shall not make subsequent requests for reinstatement more than once every three months from the date the Employee is notified of a reinstatement denial. An Employee is not eligible for reinstatement if the request occurs later than two years from the date that the Employee was no longer in Active Work Status due to the disabling illness, injury, or condition.
2. The Employee’s request for reinstatement shall be accompanied by substantial, credible medical evidence that the Employee is once again capable of performing the Employee’s essential job duties. The Appointing Authority shall either reinstate the Employee or require the Employee to submit to a medical or psychological examination in accordance with the University’s Involuntary Disability Separation Policy in accordance with the time frame established herein.
3. The Appointing Authority will review the substantial credible medical evidence submitted by the Employee or the results of a medical or psychological examination conducted in accordance with the University’s Involuntary Disability Separation Policy and make an initial determination of whether or not the Employee is capable of performing the essential duties of the Employee’s position. If the Appointing Authority initially determines that the Employee is once again capable of performing the essential job duties, the Appointing Authority shall reinstate the Employee. If the Appointing Authority initially determines that the Employee remains incapable of performing the essential job duties, the Appointing Authority shall institute a pre‐reinstatement hearing.
4. An Employee shall be provided written notice at least seventy‐two hours in advance of the pre‐reinstatement hearing. If the Employee does not waive the right to a hearing, then at the hearing the Employee has a right to examine the Appointing Authority’s evidence, to rebut that evidence, and to present testimony and evidence.
5. The Appointing Authority will weigh the testimony and evidence admitted at the pre‐reinstatement hearing to determine whether the Employee is able to perform the essential job duties of the Employee’s assigned position. If the Appointing Authority finds the Employee capable of performing essential duties, then the Appointing Authority shall reinstate the Employee. If the Appointing Authority finds the Employee incapable of performing essential duties, then the Appointing Authority shall not reinstate the Employee.

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