employee falling down

System

We have an employee that has fallen down the stairs leading to the office twice in one week. When the second incident occurred he told his boss that he had been falling down alot lately and was scheduled to see a doctor at the end of the month. He is a long time employee and it is fairly well known that he has epilepsy.
After the second episode he was sent to the hospital for the injury to his arm that was incurred. The doctor gave him a release to return to work. His boss and I are worried that he is suffering some equilibrium problems and will continue to have accidents. What are our responsibilities to protect this ee. Can we have him go to a doctor right away with a full explanation of his problems and have that doctor give him a release to work. I don't think he should be working until he gets checked out but I don't want to deprive him of his means of a living for any amount of time. He is hourly and doesn't make a high wage. He is sort of a "special case" but he does a really good job. Did I word that correctly?
Any advice?

Pork

DEEZ: My thoughts, you could seek a 2nd opinion on the physical qualifications of this ee, which would allow you make rational accomodations for this individual's long term health and safety. If you treat the ee as disabled then the ee is an ADA candidate anyway, so why not have professional medical opinion to support your long term care for the individual, as to his abilities fo function in a safe position. My grandsons have been diagonsed as MD and "falling down" for no apparent reason on steps and in the halls of the school was the first indicator of problems.

With serious illness that are long term, sometimes it is best for the long term advantage of the ee and the company for the individual to become medically disqualified for employment in your industry, which can then lead to full medical coverage and disability payment for life. You will be doing the ee a quality of life service to allow the ee to become "UNEMPLOYED"; ss disability will not kick-in until the ee has been unemployed for 6 months and that is with physician written support. Keeping this individual on minimal physical functions may not be the best course of action for the ee!

PORK

rad

If I understand correctly he saw an emergency room doctor for the injury to his arm and not his regular doctor? If thats the case that doc probably gave him permission to return to work with the injury, not the underlying cause. Can he be put on a paid leave until he sees his regular doctor? Its only a few weeks away. If he's epileptic he may be experienceing petit mal seizures that cause him to fall down.

Whatever

Sometimes, the options become clearer if you sit down with the ee and have a frank conversation. In the course of the conversation, you should let him know that you are concerned about their health and "apply pressure" for the ee to see the doctor sooner than later. I have had ees who, inspite of all the postings etc., are afraid to go out on disability. I have, also, had ees who are afraid to face the possiblity of a serious illness.

Pork

WHATEVER: You are so right. We had a young man who was loved by everyone, he began to have medical problems and he kept fighting it and working with him on W/C and then FMLA and his physician finally after about a 18 month period of time diagnosted Diabeties Type 1; and medically disqualified him from working in our very physical environment. He was terminated and drew UI for the max time and finally was approved for long term disability. He drops by to see us and he refers his friends and relatives to us for employment. We pay him a finders bonus of $200.00 for anyone he finds and we hire and retain for 6 months. His kidneys have now failed and he spends a lot of time on the kidney machine. He is so happy for our actions on his behalf. He is a testiment for taking actions that have a greater and more valuable long term impact on the ee's behalf, regardless of the way we feel at the time.

PORK