[Eng-div] Medical work restrictions and matrixed/loaned employees - IMPORTANT

[Mike Dallas]

This is a good message that should be shared with the rest of our leaders.

On 3/14/2013 1:48 PM, Will Oren wrote:
> All,
>      I wish to elaborate on a e-mail sent out by Mary Jo Bailey 
> yesterday morning. Some of our lab co-workers have medical work 
> restrictions which limit the duties they can perform while carrying 
> out their normal work activities.    Sometimes these restrictions are 
> temporary as someone heals from a medical issue so they change through 
> time and are regularly reevaluated by Medical.   Others are long term 
> restrictions that we have learned to accommodate in the employee's 
> current assignment.   These restrictions are known by the employee, 
> their supervisory chain and Medical.
>
>      The Engineering Division is a matrixed organization where staff 
> is often matrixed/loaned out to other areas within the lab where their 
> work is directed by a "Work Unit Manager" (WUM) who is different than 
> the "Home Unit Manager"  (HUM).   When this is done the HUM is 
> responsible to communicate to the WUM what a person's current work 
> restrictions are.   The HUM is also responsible for meeting with the 
> WUM to evaluate the work that the matrixed/loaned employee will be 
> doing and whether any of the current restrictions will effect that 
> work.   The WUM is responsible for understanding the restrictions and 
> assigning work appropriately. Additionally, both the WUM and HUM 
> should be looking at the work to see if any other restrictions might 
> be needed for new conditions encountered in this new work 
> assignment.   In other words the written restrictions are formulated 
> for the original work assignment and may change since the job duties 
> may be different for the new assignment.
>
>      This brings me to a second point.   The employee is also 
> responsible to know and understand their restrictions, work within 
> them and tell their supervisory chain if their current activity is not 
> compatible with those restrictions or any that may arise. This could 
> include someone who presently has no restrictions but because of a 
> preexisting condition they may be limited in their new work duties. 
> While work restrictions are not something you post on your Facebook 
> page they can be shared on a "need to know basis" with the supervisory 
> chain so everyone understands what they are.
>
>      The above considerations have become extremely important in our 
> present work environment.   We have done extensive matrixing between 
> the Lab's Divisions where sometimes the Engineering Division loans 
> folks out and at other times we have received help from other 
> Divisions.   I believe this effort has been highly successful and is a 
> model for what will be expected in the future.   So we have to make 
> checking work restrictions a habit when exchanging help across 
> supervisory chains.
>
>      The bottom line is, if in doubt consult Medical to get an 
> evaluation on whether work restrictions are needed or not.   It's 
> better(and much less painful) to avoid an injury with proper planning 
> then react when one has over extended themselves and needs medical 
> attention.
>
> Thanks for you prompt attention to this issue.
>
> Will
>