(a) Removal. An incumbent SO or SPO is disqualified from medical certification by the PPMD if one or more of the medical certification standards contained in §1046.13 are not met. An incumbent SO or SPO temporarily or permanently disqualified from medical certification by the PPMD must be removed from those protective force duties by the employer when the employer is notified by the PPMD of such a determination.

(b) Medical removal protection. The employer of a disqualified SPO must offer the SPO medical removal protection if the PPMD determines in a written medical opinion that the disqualifying condition occurred as a result of site-approved training for or attempting to meet a physical readiness standard qualification, or site-approved training for security and emergency response (e.g., participating in force-on-force exercises for training, inspection, or validation purposes). The PPMD's determination must be based on an examining physician's recommendation or any other signs or symptoms that the Designated Physician deems medically sufficient to medically disqualify an SPO. The employee pay benefits specified in this section for combined temporary and permanent medical removal shall not be provided for more than one year from the date of the initial PPMD written determination regarding the same basis for disqualification.

(1) Temporary removal pending final medical determination.

(i) The employer of a disqualified SPO must offer the SPO temporary medical removal from PF duties on each occasion that the PPMD determines in a written medical opinion that the worker should be temporarily removed from such duties pending a final medical determination of whether the SPO should be removed permanently, if appropriate. “Final medical determination” means the outcome of the Independent Review provided for in §1046.15(c) or, if one is held, the Final Review provided for in §1046.15(d).

(ii) If an SPO is temporarily removed from PF duties pursuant to this section, the SPO's employer must not remove the employee from the payroll unless available alternative duties for which the worker is qualified or can be trained in a short period of time are refused or performed unsatisfactorily.

(iii) While the SPO remains on the payroll pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, the SPO's employer must maintain the SPO's total base pay (overtime not included), seniority, and other site-specific worker rights and benefits (e.g., corporate benefit package and collective bargaining agreement benefits) as if the worker had not been removed. Funds reimbursable by the DOE which are provided to a SPO under medical removal protection must be reduced dollar for dollar for any other PF related pay or monetary benefit for associated lost earnings, including those negotiated through collective bargaining and from workers compensation. Medical removal protection in conjunction with these other benefits must not exceed the SPO's total base pay.

(iv) If there are no suitable alternative duties available as described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, the SPO's employer must provide to the SPO the medical removal protection benefits specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section until alternative duties become available, the SPO has recovered, or one year has elapsed from the date of the PPMD's determination that the SPO should be temporarily removed from duties, whichever comes first. During this period the SPO may be placed on administrative leave when alternative duties are not available.

(2) Permanent medical removal resulting from injuries.

(i) If the PPMD determines in a written medical opinion that the worker should be permanently removed from PF duties as a result of injuries sustained while engaging in required physical readiness activities (i.e., site approved training for or attempting to meet a physical readiness standard qualification or site approved training for security or emergency response), employer Human Resources policies, disability insurance, and/or collective bargaining agreements will dictate employment status and compensation beyond the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(ii) If an SPO has been permanently removed from duty pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, the SPO's employer must provide the SPO the opportunity to transfer to another available position, or one which later becomes available, for which the SPO is qualified (or for which the SPO can be trained in a short period), subject to collective bargaining agreements, as applicable.

(3) Worker consultation before temporary or permanent medical removal. If the PPMD determines that an SPO should be temporarily or permanently removed from PF duties, the PPMD must:

(i) Advise the SPO of the determination that medical removal is necessary to protect the SPO's health and well-being or prevent the SPO from being a hazard to self or others;

(ii) Provide the SPO the opportunity to have any medical questions concerning medical removal answered; and

(iii) Obtain the SPO's signature or document that the SPO has been advised on the provisions of medical removal as provided in this section and the risks of continued participation in physically demanding positions.

(4) Return to work after medical removal.

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section, the SPO's employer must not return an SPO, who has been granted medical removal protection under this section, to the SPO's former job status.

(ii) If, in the PPMD's opinion, continued participation in PF duties will not pose an increased risk to the SPO's health and well-being or an increased risk (beyond those normally associated with SPO duties) of the SPO being a direct threat to self or others, the PPMD must fully discuss these matters with the SPO and then, in a written determination, may authorize the SPO's employer to return the SPO to former job status. Within one year from the PPMD's original decision to remove the individual from SPO status and subject to the SPO's ability to meet all other position related requirements (e.g., weapons qualifications, physical readiness standard, human reliability program, and refresher training), the employer must return the SPO to duty status given PPMD authorization to return to work. For durations beyond one year from the original decision given PPMD authorization to return to work, return to SPO status will be at the employer's discretion.

(c) Medical removal protection benefits.

(1) If required by this section to provide medical removal protection benefits, the SPO's employer must maintain for not more than one year, as specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section, the removed worker's total base pay, and seniority, as though the SPO had not been removed. The total base pay provision in this section must be reduced by any compensation for lost earnings provided by any other benefit or those negotiated through collective bargaining for both temporary and permanent removal protection as provided by this section.

(2) If a removed SPO files a claim for workers' compensation payments for a physical disability, then the SPO's employer must continue to provide medical removal protection benefits until disposition of the claim, recovery of the claimant, or one year from the date the removal protection began, whichever comes first. If workers' compensation benefits are provided retroactively then the SPO must reimburse the employer to the extent the SPO is compensated for lost earnings for the same period that the medical removal protection benefits are received for both temporary and permanent removal protection as provided by this section. Expenses for medical/rehabilitation treatments related to the basis for medical removal protection are not covered under this part.

(3) The SPO's employer's obligation to provide medical removal protection benefits to an SPO is reduced to the extent that the worker receives compensation for earnings lost during the period of removal either from a publicly or site employer-funded compensation program.

(d) Collective bargaining agreements. For the purposes of this section, the requirement that the SPO's employer provide medical removal protection benefits is not intended to expand upon, restrict, or change any rights to a specific job classification or position under the terms of an applicable existing collective bargaining agreement.