201.15 Fitness for Duty Procedures

Applies to: All staff

SPG number: 201.15

Assess the preliminary level of the safety concern

Supervisor:

Please read all of these procedures.   

Unless there is a medical emergency or imminent threat to safety, firsthand observation should be made by two individuals.  At least one of the individuals should be a direct supervisor. The second observer should be a member of management or HR. The second observer should perform their own firsthand observation of the employee. If another member of management or HR is not available, the first observer should proceed in accordance with this procedure.

Level I. Severely Impaired

If an employee is severely impaired (e.g., unconscious, staggering, incoherent, or exhibiting extreme physical symptoms):

  1. Call 911 immediately and request assistance.
  2. Have someone stay with the employee until medical or emergency personnel arrive, if possible.
  3. Make sure the employee is safely in the custody of medical or emergency personnel
  4. Complete the Ann Arbor Campus Checklist or Michigan Medicine Checklist if you are a U-M Ann Arbor employee. Dearborn and Flint employees, contact the respective HR offices for your campus.  
  5. Contact your designated Human Resources Representative.  A UHR/Michigan Medicine HRBP representative will follow up with Work Connections, Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office/Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience, or other central offices and/or the union as appropriate.  

Level II. Violent or Otherwise Threatening Harm to Self or Others 

If an employee is posing an imminent direct threat to harm themselves (e.g. suicidal statements) or intent to harm/plan to harm self or others:

  1. Call 911 immediately and request assistance
  2. Take steps to ensure your own safety and that of others.
  3. Make reasonable efforts to protect the employee, but do NOT attempt to physically restrain or interfere with their free movement. 
  4. Complete the Ann Arbor Campus Checklist or Michigan Medicine Checklist if you are a U-M Ann Arbor employee. Dearborn and Flint employees, contact the respective HR offices for your campus.
  5. Contact your designated Human Resources Representative.  A UHR/Michigan Medicine HRBP representative will follow up with Work Connections, Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office/Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience, or other central offices and/or the union as appropriate.  

Level III. Other Cases of Impairment or Immediate/Serious Safety Threat to Self of Others

If the employee is not severely impaired, violent, or otherwise threatening (i.e., not Level I or II), but behavior otherwise indicates they are engaging in conduct that poses an imminent and/or serious safety threat to self or others: 

  1. Ann Arbor employees call 911 from a campus phone or 734-763-1131 to request the Dept. Public Safety and Security (DPSS) to assess the situation. Dearborn employees call 313-593-9953 for the Dept. of Public Safety.  Flint employees call (810) 762-3333 for the Dept. of Public Safety.  
  2. Unless DPSS recommends otherwise, remove the employee from the work area and have the employee wait in a confidential space (e.g. conference, room or office).  Remain with the employee and take steps to ensure your own safety and that of others.
  3. Contact your designated Human Resources Representative.
  4. Obtain a witness for your private interaction with the employee, if possible.
  5. Complete the Ann Arbor Campus Checklist or Michigan Medicine Checklist if you are a U-M Ann Arbor employee. Dearborn and Flint employees, contact the respective HR offices for your campus. 

If you suspect the employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, complete the Ann Arbor Campus Checklist and follow the steps described for Reasonable Suspicion Drug/Alcohol Testing, or for Michigan Medicine employees, refer to the Michigan Medicine Drug-Free Workplace Policy, 04-06-036. Dearborn and Flint employees, contact the respective HR offices for your campus.