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Colleague Not Fit for Duty (Blood Sugar) advice needed


Riblett

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This is a VERY dicey issue. There are ADA issues at play, as well as potentially union rules, state law, etc. This is one of those areas you do not want to try to figure things out on your own. Adverse personnel action could create significant liability exposure for the agency. I would do nothing without the help of human resources.

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Here's a thought, maybe send the guy to a physician that the your service has on retainer for a fitness for duty evaluation.

After ensuring this individual is transported every time they have a hypoglycemic episode. You wouldn't want regular hypoglycemic episodes to be absent from the overall medical evaluation.

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I don't think that there are any Equality Act / ADA issues here; - the issues there are the blanket " no diabetics in patient care roles " which have been all to common in the past

IF there are reasonable adaptations in place they are inadequate to his carrying out the role he is in post to do

suspend pending Occ Health Clearance. If he can;t get OH clearance you are free to have him removed from post and there is no chance of sucessful comeback if it;s properly done

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The progressive disciplinary tool is always your friend, for volunteers or paid people. Write up each incident, and progress to the next level when he/she does not respond appropriately. Is this person driving county/city/municipal equipment, or just showing up (unpaid) in their own vehicle ???

You do not write up "john/jane doe had a low blood sugar", you write up that "john/jane doe showed up at a call, and was confused and unable to provide care to the patient" (doesnt matter if he/she was hypoglycemic, drunk, or on crack ==== you concentrate on the failure to perform, it is his/her job to correct the lack of performance). If you make it about diabetes, you open yourself up to all kinds of ADA type issues.

I am sorry, you can not have a policy that says "No Diabetics" in patient care roles, unless you want to make that person a millionaire.

Edited by mikeymedic1984
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