Definition - What does Fit-for-duty mean?
Fit for duty (also known as fitness-to-work or fit-for-work) is a benchmark used to gauge if a job candidate or current employee holds the physical ability to meet job performance standards. In Canada, logistical concerns stem from workplace issues that can include alcohol and drug use, fatigue, and stress leading to impairment on the job. Fit-for-duty testing helps accommodate the need to ensure employees stay healthy as a prelude against lax oversight.SureHire explains Fit-for-duty
Many jobs require employees to be able to perform work tasks that are critical to their role (otherwise known as bona fide occupational requirements, or BFORs for short). These work tasks may include lifting, carrying, crouching, bending, reaching, and long periods of time spent moving without rest. Despite how common these job-related activities are, employers often overlook the importance of evaluating these activities and comparing them against a job candidate’s physical capabilities.
An at-risk employee is a person who cannot sustain the physical demands noted in fit-for-duty circumstances. A detailed medical history that shows preexisting health conditions coupled with a physical evaluation provides employers with the foundation to modify work tasks according to an individual’s physical ability to meet the demands of a job.
