Once the bona fide job offer is extended and the medical assessment conducted, the appointing official must give careful consideration to the results from the medical assessment and the applicants’ ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. When the appointing official determines that the applicant is medically suitable, the applicant is appointed or placed.
When limitations or restrictions are identified during the medical assessment, appointing officials must follow the interactive process described in Handbook EL-307, Reasonable Accommodation, An Interactive Process, to make the appropriate medical suitability decision. When limitations are reported in the medical assessment, appointing officials should verify that the assessment was based on accurate job information and contact the selecting official to determine whether the restrictions would permit safe performance of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. An appointing official performs an evaluation of the findings to determine whether the applicant is able to perform the position’s essential functions without posing a direct threat to the safety of the applicant or others.
Appointing officials must not use limitations or restrictions to automatically determine that an applicant is medically unsuitable. If the appointing official concludes that limitations may not permit safe performance of the job, the applicant is referred to the Reasonable Accommodation Committee (RAC) for an individualized analysis and to provide a recommendation to the appointing official. The appointing official weighs the RAC recommendation and evaluates the objective reasonableness of the findings in light of the duties of the position, the applicant’s work history, and potential accommodation.
When the appointing official determines that the applicant is medically suitable, with or without reasonable accommodation, the applicant is notified and the appointment or placement is made. If the appointing official makes a determination not to appoint because of medical unsuitability, the applicant is advised of this final decision in writing. See Appendix A-7.
All nonveterans and veterans with less than 30 percent service–connected disability who are denied employment based on medical unsuitability, are to be considered as ineligible for the position. Based on this final employment decision, the applicant must be advised in writing (see Appendix A–7). Postal Service medical suitability standards for applicants provide for full and fair opportunity to present all relevant medical documents. An applicant’s involvement in the interactive process where applicable, or when limitations or risks are identified, provides additional opportunities to raise issues prior to the rendering of a final determination.
The examining physician makes the tentative determination that a CPS veteran is unable to perform the duties of a specific position based on a physical or mental disability. The appointing official considers the physician’s finding of limitations in reviewing any possible reasonable accommodations that might be contemplated. When a determination is made that a CPS veteran is not medically suitable, the veteran is afforded the right to an OPM review as described below. The appointing official must hold a position open until a final decision is supplied by OPM. The appointing official forwards to the Manager, Human Resources (District), a file containing the following documents:
- Completed Side B, SF 62, Agency Request to Pass Over a Preference Eligible, in triplicate.
- A copy of the applicant’s Form 2591, Application for Employment.
- A copy of all information relied on to support the adverse medical suitability determination.
Note: Detailed medical information must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked Restricted — Medical.
- A signed, undated, written notice to the applicant. This notice must:
- Advise the applicant that he or she does not possess the necessary medical qualifications for the position by relating the applicant’s medical conditions to the work environment and physical demand factors.
- Include a copy of the position description.
- Advise the applicant of the right to respond in writing within 15 calendar days of the date of the notification to:
US OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY
DIVISION RM 6500
1900 E ST NW
WASHINGTON DC 20415–0002
- State that OPM will notify the applicant directly of its decision.
The district Human Resources manager will review the file for completeness and adequacy of supporting documentation. If the district finds that the file does not adequately support the tentative rejection, it will advise the appointing official to appoint the applicant, or furnish the district Human Resources manager additional relevant and material information. If the district finds that the file does adequately support the tentative rejection, it will, within 10 calendar days of receipt of the file, take the following actions:
- Date the notice to the veteran (which was previously prepared and signed by the appointing official), and send it to the veteran by certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Send to OPM the SF 62, a copy of the written notice to the veteran, Form 2591, and all supporting documentation upon which the disqualification was based. Material must be double–enveloped, with the inside envelope marked Restricted — Medical. It is to be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address:
US OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY
DIVISION RM 6500
1900 E ST NW
WASHINGTON DC 20415–0002
If OPM sustains the reasons for the tentative rejection, the application and one copy of SF 62 are immediately returned to the district Human Resources manager. The appointing official may then select and appoint another applicant. OPM also sends the CPS veteran a written notification of the final determination and informs the applicant of the right to request further review of OPM’s determination of eligibility for future Hiring Worksheets, if additional medical evidence supports the request. If OPM does not sustain the reasons for the rejection, appropriate notations on SF 62 are made and a copy of the form, with all attachments, is returned to the district. OPM also notifies the CPS veteran of its determination.
Upon receipt of OPM’s decision that the rejection is not sustained, the appointing official may submit more detailed or additional supporting documentation to the district Human Resources manager to further support disqualification. If the district Human Resources manager determines that circumstances warrant reconsideration by OPM, the same submission procedures are followed, again giving the CPS applicant 15 calendar days to respond to the more detailed or additional information. The appointing official must hold a position for the applicant until a final OPM determination has been received. If OPM does not sustain the appointing official’s determination, the applicant must be processed for appointment.
