642 Limited-Duty, Light-Duty, and Rehabilitation Assignments

Supervisors and managers generally do not initially refer limited-duty and temporary light-duty requests to the RAC. Instead, the processes provided by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act for limited duty and the mechanisms provided by the respective collective bargaining agreements for light duty should be utilized. Nonetheless, there are circumstances in which an employee in a light-duty, limited-duty, or rehabilitation assignment may raise issues that warrant referral to the RAC. For example:

• When an employee has an illness or injury that, in addition, may qualify as a disability under the Rehabilitation Act and the employee seeks accommodation for that disability, referral to the RAC is appropriate.
• When an employee expresses dissatisfaction in the limited- or light-duty process to address a need for accommodation, the RAC may be consulted.
• When an employee seeks to leave a light-duty, limited-duty, or rehabilitation assignment position and obtain a different job, the RAC must assess the situation to see if the employee can perform in the position desired, with or without reasonable accommodation.

In addition, an employee with a disability may request permanent or long- term light duty, believing it to be a reasonable accommodation. In such a case, the RAC may appropriately explore accommodation with the employee. The RAC’s role is limited, however, to the following:

• Evaluating the employee’s eligibility for accommodation.
• The availability of accommodation under the law.

The RAC generally does not consider limited-duty assignments that set aside essential functions and have been prepared and offered under the FECA processes. The RAC does not make a decision on the availability of light duty because the installation head is responsible for granting or denying light duty, according to the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreements.