Preplacement Health Assessment Procedures
The University of Florida provides the preplacement health assessment for applicants who have accepted an offer of employment for a vacancy whose duties are in certain known risk situations and are governed by federal, state or local standards. This includes new applicants and current employees who have applied for a promotion, demotion or reassignment. It also includes current employees whose duties have changed into the identified risk areas.
THE HEALTH ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Health Assessment Management System (HAMS) assists departments at the University of Florida with health assessment decisions. The HAMS lists UF job activities with health risks that are covered by federal, state and local regulations.
A record must be added in the Health Assessment Management System (HAMS) to determine if any of the identified job duties apply. Instructions for those who will be on a position are found in the Instruction Guides for PeopleSoft Position and Job Actions (Add a Position, Update Position Description and Reclassifying a Position). Instructions for individuals not on positions are found in the INOP description. Additional assistance is available from Environmental Health and Safety (352) 392-1591.
Also available for departmental use is a supervisor checklist to identify any job duties that apply to the affected position. Questions about specific job duties may be directed to individuals identified on the list.
The University is liable for hiring decisions made in relation to health assessments. Though the supervisor is responsible for identifying the job requirements, he or she need not be designated as the person authorized to enter the information into this system. Therefore, it is important for departments to establish a procedure that ensures that the individual authorized to use the HAMS work closely with the supervisor and the hiring authority.
Please call EH&S at 392-1591 if you have any questions.
HEALTH ASSESSMENTS LINKED TO JOB DUTIES
Health assessments are linked to the position duties in certain known risk situations that are governed by federal, state or local standards. The supervisor checklist includes those duties that are governed by federal and state regulations as well as those that follow University policy and industry standards. The list is alphabetical and in the format of a checklist that can be used by department supervisors as a tool in determining which apply to a specific position.
Some of the duties on the list fall into periodic medical monitoring programs. These programs require not only a preplacement health assessment but also periodic assessments throughout an employee's stay at the University. Please refer to the periodic medical monitoring program list for individual descriptions.
Each job duty on the list also has a University contact from whom additional information may be obtained. Please contact them directly either by phone or email.
OBTAINING A PREPLACEMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT
The department should follow the steps outlined in "How to Initiate and Track a Preplacement Health Assessment at the Student Health Care Center" to successfully meet the preplacement health assessment requirement.
If you are not close to the Gainesville area, contact a local physician or clinic for an appointment. Provide that individual with the appropriate information from the UF Employee Preplacement Health Assessments: Policies and Procedures. After the off-campus health assessment, confirm with the physician that the medical record has been forwarded to the SHCC for review.
CHECK RESULTS OF PREPLACEMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT
"How to Check Health Assessment Results in PeopleSoft" outlines the steps to follow for any health assessment outcome.
Check the result of the assessment 24-36 hours later. Based on the results of the exam, the SHCC will make the final recommendation regarding the individual and position duties.
Begin the candidate’s work assignment AFTER the SHCC has made their recommendation.
PAYMENT/REIMBURSEMENT OF A PREPLACEMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT
Preplacement Health Assessments
Finance and Administration covers the charges made by the Student Health Care Center (SHCC) when departments fill a non-academic vacancy. For those done on campus, they pay directly. For those done off-campus, the department must pay the physician through center or department accounts.
Reimbursement up to the SHCC charges may be requested by submitting a completed Expense Refund form with the appropriate supporting documentation to Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), P.O. Box 112195. They coordinate the refund from Finance and Administration.
Individual colleges and departments cover the cost of all other health assessments.
PREPLACEMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT WAIVER PROCEDURES
When filling a vacant position or reclassifying a filled position that requires a health assessment, on occasion, the selected candidate may meet the criteria for a health assessment waiver as described below. A promotion or reassignment candidate might be an example.
Please refer to The UF Student Health Care Center’s Preplacement Physical Examination: Policies and Procedures for specific details for this process.